Protect African Cannabis genetics and profit sustainably.

Cannabis – Nature’s Wonder Plant

Cannabis has unique characteristics that set it apart from all other plants. It is an Annual which completes its life cycle from seed to plant to seed again in around six months. Indoors or in tunnels it can yield four crops a year under the right conditions. Cannabis is Dioecious – male and female plants are easily distinguishable – unique amongst Annual plants. Furthermore, each plant’s seeds are Dimorphic by nature, meaning their lifecycles differ and their characteristics diverge as they mature. To mitigate this, top Breeders stabilise the best traits of each strain and replicate these through selective breeding, cloning and tissue culture.

Unlike most Commercial crops, Cannabis yields best when only feminised plants are cultivated. Preventing the males from pollinating means the females put all their energy into flowering. Different cultivation techniques yield seeds for Commercial growing, manufacturing and industrial applications, but the skill of the Breeder is paramount. Unlike most crops, Cannabis replenishes the soil it is grown in (depending on cultivation techniques) and all of the plant has commercial value. The roots can be processed into animal bedding, construction material, medicinal extracts etc. The stems are used for construction, pulp and clothing, while the seeds and flowers can be processed into medicine, superfoods and ethanol. No other plant or resource can produce more with less effort whilst being kinder to the planet. To date there are at least 55 000 products which have been made from the Cannabis plant.

THC is Cannabis’ way of providing the plant with protection from UV light. The light spectrum found in the Western Cape is optimal for growing a wide variety of strains naturally without the use of artificial light for much of the year. This spectrum also allows us to produce unique cannabinoids such as THCv, which is currently in great demand for its medical benefits and which plants grown in the Western Cape produce in abundance.

Cape Floristic Region

The Cape Floristic Region falls almost entirely within the Western Cape. The smallest of the six recognised floral kingdoms of the world, it is an area of extraordinarily high diversity and endemism, and is home to over 9,000 plant species, of which 69 percent are endemic. Much of this diversity is associated with the fynbos biome, a Mediterranean-type, fire-prone shrubland. The Cape Floristic Region has both economic and intrinsic biological value as a biodiversity hotspot and as such is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Flora

Most of the region is covered with fynbos, a sclerophyllous shrubland occurring on acid sands or nutrient-poor soils derived from Table Mountain sandstones (Cape Supergroup). The Western Cape is home to a diverse plethora of plant species including many members of the protea family (Proteaceae), heath family (Ericaceae), and reed family of restios (Restionaceae). Other vegetation types are sandveld, a soft coastal scrubland found mostly on the west-facing coast of the Western Cape Province, on tertiary sands. Renosterveld is a grassy shrubland dominated by members of the daisy family (Asteraceae, particularly renosterbos (Elytropappus rhinocerotis), graminoids and geophytes, occurring on the base-rich shaley soils of the coastal forelands. Small pockets of Afromontane forest (Southern Afrotemperate Forest) can be found in humid and sheltered areas.

 According to Takhtajan (1978), the following families are endemic or subendemic to the region: Grubbiaceae, Roridulaceae, Bruniaceae, Penaeaceae, Greyiaceae, Geissolomataceae, Retziaceae (Retzia) and Stilbaceae.

Climate

The Western Cape is also climatologically diverse, with many distinct micro- and macroclimates created by the varied topography and the influence of the surrounding ocean currents. These are the warm Agulhas Current which flows southwards along South Africa's east coast, and the cold Benguela Current which is an upwelling current from the depths of the South Atlantic Ocean along South Africa's west coast. Thus climatic statistics can vary greatly over short distances. Most of the province is considered to have a Mediterranean climate with cool, wet winters and warm, dry summers, perfect for cultivating most forms of Cannabis both indoors and out. Both the Great Karoo and Little Karoo, in the interior, have an arid to semi-arid climate with cold, frosty winters and hot summers with occasional thunderstorms. The Garden Route and the Overberg on the south coast have a maritime climate with cool, moist winters and mild, moist summers. Mossel Bay in the Garden Route is considered to have the second mildest climate worldwide after Hawaii. Different strains of Cannabis will thrive in each of these microclimates.

Thunderstorms are generally rare in the province (except in the Karoo) with most precipitation being of a frontal or orographic nature. Extremes of heat and cold are common inland, but rare near the coast. Snow is a common winter occurrence on the Western Cape Mountains occasionally reaching down into the more inland valleys. Otherwise, frost is relatively rare in coastal areas and many of the heavily cultivated valleys.

Cape Town International Airport averages: January maximum: 26 °C (min: 16 °C), July maximum: 18 °C (min: 7 °C), annual rainfall: 515mm

Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, Cape Town annual rainfall: 1395mm

George averages: January maximum: 25 °C (min: 15 °C), July maximum: 19 °C (min: 7 °C), annual rainfall: 715mm

Laingsburg, on the N1 highway in the Great Karoo (coordinates: Lat: S33.20°, Long: E20.85°) annual

Epigenetics and Appellations

When Cannabis breeders speak of Epigenetics, what we mean is the ways in which the plant adapts to its environmental influences in terms of climate and endemic biomass. Based on this, we know that the Western Cape continues to produce Cannabis with unique phenotypes and Cannabinoids, making it highly sought after globally. Due to its proximity to Fynbos and ideal climatic conditions, the Western Cape is sure to become a global Cannabis hotspot for the production, manufacturing and service industries associated with Cannabis.

To preserve and promote our unique attributes, it is envisioned that (much like the Wine Industry) the African Cannabis industry will be classified and marketed according to Appellations. In this way we can highlight and improve the characteristics of strains best suited to each of the micro-climates found in Southern Africa. Our network of Breeders and Growers will be educated to focus on producing high quality organic Cannabis from strains optimised to their environment. We need to help our Cannabis stand out in a global industry dominated by Big Pharma, Tobacco giants and conglomerates in the Food and Beverage industries. Our goal is to protect and produce the best African strains of Cannabis to serve the needs of the global Medical, Industrial and Recreational markets.