The Dream Cannot Be Licensed to the Well-Connected

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A cannabis industry is starting to take shape in Eswatini. But before anyone celebrates the headlines, it is worth asking a harder question: who is this industry really being built for? 

The recent Ministry of Agriculture hemp trial conference in Manzini signaled progress. According to Agribusiness Media in “Ministry of Agriculture Endorses Industrial Hemp Adaptability Trials in Eswatini” (2026), the ministry-backed adaptability trials cover at least four hectares and are meant to test agronomic performance, commercial prospects, employment potential, and industrial development opportunities for hemp in Eswatini. On the surface, that is exactly what a country should do before opening a new sector: test the crop, gather evidence, and understand what works locally. 

But in Eswatini, the crop is only half the story.

The other half is power.

Anyone who has spent time around cannabis in Eswatini knows the market did not begin with a conference hall, a draft regulation, or a polished development narrative. 

It has existed for years in a shadow space: tolerated in some places, punished in others, discussed quietly, protected selectively, and navigated through relationships more than rules. 

Eswatini’s legal position remains constrained by older legal structures that do not clearly separate industrial hemp from the wider cannabis prohibition framework.

There is a long-running tension between official policy, private interests, and opaque licensing narratives in the country’s cannabis sector as reported in (VOA, “Eswatini Moves to Revise Century-Old Colonial Law to Legalize Medical Cannabis,” 2024). 

 

That is why the current moment needs to be treated with caution as much as optimism. If a legal hemp and cannabis framework emerges without public education, farmer protections, and transparent access, the result will not be reform. It will be consolidation.

That is the central concern.

At Hemp Nation, the position is straightforward: cannabis development in Eswatini must begin with educational programmes, not elite capture. The first infrastructure this sector needs is not a private deal or a fenced-off processing site. It is knowledge in the hands of farmers, communities, and local entrepreneurs.

That means practical education. It means teaching the difference between hemp and high-THC cannabis. It means legal literacy around licences, compliance, land agreements, and supply contracts. It means helping growers understand genetics, seed quality, post-harvest handling, processing requirements, and how value is actually created across the supply chain. It also 

means making sure landholders understand what they are signing before they become spectators in an industry built on their own soil.

One line from the Hemp Nation meeting on Eswatini cannabis development (July 2026) captured that fear clearly: “We don’t want Swazi farmers to lose land from great offers… from internationals investors who know the true value of cannabis” Another sharpened the same point: “Let us teach the people who have control of that land.” These are not abstract concerns. They are realistic warnings about what happens when legal reform outruns public preparedness.

That instinct is supported by wider research. A discussion paper in the South African Journal of Agricultural Extension argues that an inclusive hemp industry depends on supportive regulation, access to finance, and capacity-building for smallholder farmers, rather than assuming market participation will happen automatically (Mailula et al., “What Fundamental Structures Does South Africa Need to Put in Place to Build an Inclusive and Thriving Hemp Industry?”, 2025). Research on legal cannabis transitions in Zimbabwe also shows that legalization can drive agrarian change in ways that do not necessarily benefit smaller local producers unless governance is designed carefully from the start (Scoones et al., “Business as Usual? Cannabis Legalisation and Agrarian Change in Zimbabwe,” 2024). 

The research angle matters here too, and it deserves more attention than it usually gets. 

If research is underway, what exactly is being studied: agronomy, seed adaptation, health benefits, industrial processing, legal design, or commercial feasibility? As someone on the call put it, “Research is a very broad statement.” In an emerging sector, the word “research” can mean serious public interest groundwork, or it can mean selective consultation happening behind closed doors (Hemp Nation Meeting on Eswatini cannabis development, July 2026).

This concern is not unique to Eswatini. Broader policy scholarship has warned that cannabis regulation often moves faster than the evidence base and that research barriers can distort how law and markets develop (Levy et al., “A Research Agenda to Inform Cannabis Regulation: How Science Can Shape Policy,” Clinical Therapeutics, 2023; Pacula et al., “Developing Public Health Regulations for Marijuana: Lessons From Alcohol and Tobacco,” American Journal of Public Health, 2014, as summarized in later regulatory reviews). Article reviews find that the outcomes of regulated cannabis supply depend heavily on the design of the regulatory model rather than legalization alone.

If universities are involved in Eswatini, then transparency matters. Research should be publicly useful, farmer-facing where possible, and connected to local capacity building rather than merely serving as an upstream filter for already-connected actors. In a sensitive policy environment, university partnerships can either democratize knowledge or quietly centralize it.

There is also a legal backdrop that cannot be ignored. The proposed Production of Cannabis for Medicinal and Scientific Use Regulations, 2019 shows that a fairly detailed licensing framework has been sitting in view for years, at least in draft form (Government of Eswatini, Eswatini Cannabis Regulations, 2019). The document lays out licensing, security clearances, site controls, production standards, quality assurance, record keeping, transport, import and export requirements, research and development provisions, and rules for cannabis oil. In other words, the state has not been operating in a vacuum. The bones of a regulatory model have existed since 2019.

That raises an obvious question: if the skeleton has been there for years, why does the industry still appear to move through piecemeal permissions, exceptions, and trial-based access rather than a transparent, publicly understood framework? It is hard not to conclude that the delay has left room for informal influence to do what formal policy has not. 

This is where the political economy of cannabis in Eswatini becomes impossible to ignore. Critics have already warned that legalization efforts in Eswatini could end up benefiting elites and large outside interests rather than ordinary farmers (VOA, “Eswatini Moves to Revise Century-Old Colonial Law to Legalize Medical Cannabis,” 2024; Semafor, “Eswatini Wants Legal Cannabis but Locals Protest,” 2023). That concern aligns closely with what emerged in the Hemp Nation meeting: a fear that the law, if and when it comes, may simply formalize advantages already enjoyed by people with proximity to power.

A particularly telling line from the meeting was this: “Everyone has to go for passes against the current standing legislation.” That is the problem in one sentence. When the formal law is outdated but access is still being granted selectively, the real system becomes discretionary. And wherever discretion dominates, gatekeepers thrive (Hemp Nation Meeting on Eswatini cannabis development, July 2026).

African experience elsewhere should serve as a warning. The hidden narratives around legalization can obscure the risk that formal reform benefits already-advantaged actors in unequal political economies rather than those who carried the market through prohibition (Oluwatobi et al., “Contesting Cannabis Legalization in Nigeria: Hidden Narratives of an Informal Market,” Sociological Inquiry, 2025). Emerging work on medical cannabis value chains in southern Africa also points to the question of who captures value in legal markets once licensing, standards, and export channels are controlled by powerful actors (Value capture in the emerging medical cannabis global value chain in South Africa, World Development, 2026). 

None of this means the Ministry of Agriculture hemp trial conference in Manzini should be dismissed. It should not. Trials can be useful. Research can be useful. Draft regulations can be useful. But none of these things are enough on their own. If Eswatini wants a credible hemp and cannabis sector, it must move beyond permission-by-proximity and toward rules that are clear, public, and workable. 

A serious framework would do at least four things.

First, it would clearly distinguish industrial hemp from other cannabis categories in law and administration, so that farmers and businesses are not forced to operate in legal fog (Cannabis

Regulations AI, “Is Hemp Legal in Eswatini? 2026 Industrial Hemp Laws,” 2026; Government of Eswatini, Eswatini Cannabis Regulations, 2019).

Second, it would build public educational programmes before large-scale commercialization, especially for rural communities and landholders likely to be approached first by investors or intermediaries (Hemp Nation Meeting on Eswatini cannabis development, July 2026).

Third, it would ensure that research partnerships, seed trials, and licensing pathways are transparent enough to prevent capture by small circles of influence (Hemp Nation Meeting on Eswatini cannabis development, July 2026).

Fourth, it would embed farmer participation into the value chain itself, rather than treating emaSwati merely as growers or land providers for better-connected processors and exporters.

This is the deeper point: the danger is not only that Eswatini will move too slowly. It is that it will move just fast enough for the well-connected to secure position before the public understands the game. 

That is why the dream has to be bigger than the plant.

The dream is not a semi-legal market becoming a legal one for the benefit of the same insiders. The dream is a Swazi industry with Swazi knowledge, Swazi participation, and Swazi leverage. The dream is not only cultivation, but education; not only research, but access; not only regulation, but fairness. 

If the country is serious, the first crop to be grown should be trust. 

And trust, unlike influence, cannot be granted through the back door.

Buddha Cheese – Summer 2026 Clone Harvest

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A couple of weeks ago, I had the privilege of tasting the final product from one of the latest harvests produced through our partnership at Hemp Nation. As a shareholder and director, it’s always rewarding seeing the process go from farmer development and upskilling in Eswatini all the way to a finished product that genuinely delivers quality.

This particular batch came out of the Mgadlela Grow Room Project — a grow room still technically under construction by the way 😂 Walls still need plastering, reflective material still pending… yet somehow the flower already arrived fully dressed for the occasion.  

The first harvest produced roughly 400 grams of dry flower from just 4 Buddha Cheese clones, with the original mother plant later moved outdoors where it added another estimated 100 grams. Honestly, not bad for a project still finding its feet. If this is chapter one, the fully dialed-in version is going to be dangerous.

The first thing that stood out when smoking it was how light, fruity, and smooth the smoke was. No choking, no harsh burn — just an easy, clean smoke with subtle fruity notes on the inhale. Fruity definitely dominated more than the classic “cheese” funk people usually expect. Some of the guys even picked up citrus and creamy sweet undertones.  

 

And the consistency? Very impressive. Every nug looked like it came from the same family reunion — dense, decent-sized flowers, all carrying the same genetics, same smell profile, and same quality. No random weak cousin buds hiding in the jar.

The effect leaned more toward an uplifting sativa-type vibe than a heavy couch-lock high. It gave a noticeable burst of energy and kept the mood elevated. Not the kind of smoke that knocks you unconscious — more the type that makes conversations funnier, music sound better, and suddenly convinces everyone they should roll “just one more.”

Dangerously smooth, honestly. The kind of bud that makes you chase the high because the experience itself is enjoyable. Whether the high fades quickly or the flower is simply that good… who knows 😂 but nobody complained.  

 

I shared it with a few friends and the feedback was almost identical across the board: smooth smoke, fruity flavour, uplifting energy, and a bud that disappears suspiciously fast once opened. The jar evaporated. Fully gone. You know the flower is good when your biggest complaint is that there’s absolutely none left.  

 

One thing that became clear during this project is that the plants clearly didn’t get the memo about “small-scale operations.” After the first successful run, the clone phase exploded. What started with 3 mother plants somehow turned into more than 100 clones. At that point the challenge stopped being “can we grow?” and became “where are we putting all these plants?”

Some clones stayed in the grow room, others moved into secondary light setups, and a few were pushed outdoors. It became a real lesson in clone handling, lighting cycles, and learning how quickly things can scale when genetics are healthy and propagation takes off. The biggest takeaway wasn’t “bigger is better” — it was understanding that the next cycles will likely be smaller, tighter, and far more intentional.  

 

What makes me proud is that this isn’t just about growing cannabis. Hemp Nation’s role has always been about helping farmers in Eswatini build skills, understand cultivation properly, and ultimately gain access to market opportunities. Projects like this prove the potential that exists when good genetics, patience, and local farming talent come together.  

 

The scary part? This still feels like the early days. The system is still evolving, new mother genetics are already being tested, and lessons from every cycle are sharpening the next one. If Buddha Cheese is the baseline, then the future harvests are going to be something special.  

Overall review?  

Very likeable flower. Smooth, sociable, fruity, easy to smoke, and dangerously shareable. The type of bud that makes you popular at the session and unpopular once the stash runs out.  

 

Big respect to the farmer behind this harvest and everyone involved in the Mgadlela Grow Room Project. This wasn’t just a successful smoke — it felt like proof of concept.

 

Liked this review? Follow Hemp Nation and Asante for more grow notes, strain reviews, behind-the-farm content, and future harvest reviews from Eswatini’s cannabis scene.

Smuggling Without Trying: Travelling With Cannabis in the Age of Airport Scanners

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There are two kinds of travellers in this life. 

The first kind double-checks their passport the night before, lays out their outfit, and arrives at the airport three hours early with a printed boarding pass “just in case.” 

The second kind remembers, somewhere between the boarding gate and the duty-free whiskey, that there might still be a forgotten power bank, a rogue vape, or a suspicious-looking plastic baggie buried in a side pocket from a trip three years ago. 

This story is about the second kind.

The Vape That Wasn’t the Problem

Recently, one of our crew flew from South Africa to Finland in the middle of European winter, armed with the essentials: warm clothes, good spirits, and a vape carefully tucked into checked luggage. The part that was supposed to be risky—the vape—went through security like it was invisible. 

What triggered full airport drama was not cannabis. It was an old, half-dead power bank. 

By the time the call came from Turkish Airlines, bags were checked in, drinks were ordered, and the trip had officially begun. Then the 

phone rang: something had been “detected” in the luggage, and the airline needed the passenger to come supervise the inspection. 

In that moment, the mind doesn’t say “old electronics.” It says: “They found the weed.” 

Backstage at the airport, in the concrete belly where conveyor belts twist and suitcases disappear, the staff cut open the plastic wrap, unpacked the bag slowly and carefully, running through the standard script: 

“Did you pack this bag yourself? Are you aware of all the contents?” Of course the answer was yes. Until it wasn’t. 

Because buried in a forgotten pocket was a relic from another life: an old power bank that barely held a charge. That was the “threat.” That was the reason for the call, the unpacking, the tension. 

The vape? 

It travelled in and out of the country like a tourist with all the right stamps. 

The Lesson

The lesson from this leg of the journey is strangely simple: airports are more worried about lithium than THC. Travelling with a vape is often less visible than travelling with the wrong battery in the wrong place. You must keep power banks in hand luggage. You must respect the rules around electronics. But that little cartridge, as long as it looks like any other vape and not a billboard for weed culture, often slides right past the radar. 

We are not saying “it’s legal.” 

We are saying: it’s complicated, uneven, and full of human blind spots.

The Case of the Forgotten Baggie 

If our first story is about modern travel, the second one belongs to another era—but the energy is the same. 

Picture this: a purple VW panel van with flames up the side, low suspension, loud exhaust, and a driver who looks like he stepped out of a festival poster. The mission: drive from the UK to France, load up on cheap alcohol and tobacco, and bring it back for resale at university. Not a cartel, just classic student hustle. 

On the way into France, the gendarmes see the van and do what any self-respecting border police would do: they pull it aside and strip it. Mattresses up, toolboxes open, floor panels checked. Four officers in the back, searching for contraband. 

They find nothing. 

Because at that moment, there is nothing. The van is loud, suspicious looking, and completely clean. 

The Mission

Fast forward. The mission is complete. The van is now full of legally purchased alcohol and tobacco riding just at the edge of personal allowance. The ferry crosses back to the UK. As the van rolls off the boat, British police line the side of the dock. 

The driver glances at them, then reaches under his seat and pulls out a clear cassette tape case, fully loaded with weed. 

“I forgot this was in here,” he says. 

Panic hits. He winds down the window and frisbees the cassette case into the sea, sacrificing the stash to the gods of poor memory and border anxiety. 

And then they drive past the police. 

No one stops them. No one searches them. No one even looks twice at the purple van with flames that had been a magnet for attention only hours earlier. 

The Irony 

The irony is painful and perfect: when there was nothing in the van, they were thoroughly searched. When there was something in the van, nobody cared. 

The lesson here is not that smuggling is “easy.” It’s that humans are bad at predicting where attention will land. Fear makes us clumsy, and forgetfulness is its own kind of camouflage.

The Amsterdam Accident 

Then there’s the story from another time, another trip. First visit to Amsterdam for the Lowlands festival. The tourist routine: arrive, visit a coffee shop, buy five or six little baggies, enjoy the festival, head home. 

Weeks later, unpacking at home, there it was: a forgotten baggie tucked into a side pocket of the checked luggage. 

It had travelled across borders, through X-ray machines, past customs agents, and landed safely home without a single alarm bell. 

The reaction was simple: immediate outdoor consumption with a friend, equal parts relief and disbelief.

The Real Risk: How You Act, Not What You Carry

Across all these stories, a pattern emerges. 

The most dangerous thing at the airport is often not the object in your bag. It’s the story in your head. 

If you know you’re carrying something “naughty,” your body broadcasts that information before the scanner does. The rushed walk. The darting eyes. The over-explaining. The unnecessary nervousness at perfectly normal questions. All of that raises more suspicion than a plastic cylinder with a little liquid and a coil. 

If you don’t know you’re carrying anything illegal, you behave like every other tired traveller. You’re not performing innocence. You simply are innocent—at least in your own mind—and security staff read that. 

A Word of Caution 

Again, this is not legal advice. Every country, every airport, every officer, and every day is different. Some places will swab every vape. Others won’t look twice. Some borders are relaxed; others build entire TV shows around how harsh they are. 

What we can say is this: prohibition builds weird habits. People who just want to medicate or relax end up moving like professional smugglers, rehearsing answers, hiding devices, and worrying more about a pen-sized vape than about the massive surveillance system humming around them.

Dear Esteemed Government Official

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We know you’re diligently drafting cannabis laws, but before you mix CBD and THC like a questionable smoothie, let’s break it down!

CBD is like that responsible friend who insists on driving everyone home after a party—chill, dependable, and never causing a ruckus. It’s perfect for when you want to unwind without feeling like you just took a wild rollercoaster ride!

For your notes before the next meeting, here’s the formal version:

CBD:

CBD interacts primarily with the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS) but doesn’t bind directly to cannabinoid receptors like THC. Instead, it influences the ECS by inhibiting the breakdown of anandamide, a neurotransmitter that promotes happiness and well-being. This interaction is believed to contribute to its calming and anti-inflammatory effects.

Common Uses:

  • Anxiety and Stress Relief: Many users report feeling calmer and more focused with CBD.
  • Chronic Pain Management: Often used for conditions like arthritis, fibromyalgia, and general inflammation.
  • Sleep Disorders: Some find that CBD helps improve sleep quality and duration.
  • Skin Conditions: Topical CBD may assist with acne, eczema, and other skin issues due to its anti-inflammatory properties.

Now, on to THC, the life of the party!  This is the friend who shows up with snacks, wild dance moves, and stories that get wilder with each passing hour. Sure, they can elevate your mood, but you might wake up wondering why you thought a karaoke rendition of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ was a good idea.

Meeting notes again, here’s the formal version:

THC:

THC binds directly to the CB1 receptors in the brain, leading to the psychoactive effects users experience. This binding is responsible for feelings of euphoria, increased appetite, and altered sensory perception. THC also influences dopamine levels, enhancing mood and relaxation.

Common Uses:

  • Pain Relief: Particularly effective for chronic pain conditions, including migraines and nerve pain.
  • Appetite Stimulation: Commonly used by patients undergoing treatments like chemotherapy to combat loss of appetite.
  • Nausea and Vomiting: Effective for alleviating nausea, especially in medical contexts.
  • Sleep Aid: Many find THC helps them fall asleep faster, although it may affect sleep cycles.

So, let’s keep it clear: CBD is the zen master, while THC is the party starter. We need laws that respect both their unique vibes! After all, nobody wants a legal system that thinks every cannabis product is just a gateway to a spontaneous dance-off!

Let’s not turn cannabis laws into a comedy of errors! Let’s clarify the differences, acknowledge the unique benefits of each compound, and create a legal framework that empowers consumers to make informed choices.

Keep it clear, keep it fun, and let’s not throw the entire cannabis garden into one big muddy pot!

Sincerely,
The Cannabis Connoisseurs

The Dream

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We dream to form part of the creation of a cannabis industry within Swaziland by creating an organization that was Swazi owned and run, that facilitates contracts between manufacturers and local farmers.

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