Opportunities for small ganja farmers
THE CANNABIS Licensing Authority (CLA) provides several avenues to encourage the inclusion of small traditional farmers in the legal medicinal ganja framework.
These include the Alternative Development Programme, which is a community-based initiative to transition traditionally illegal growers into becoming licensees under the regulated system.
Two communities have already been selected for the pilot project: Orange Hill, Westmoreland, and Accompong, St Elizabeth.
The CLA says it has begun to sensitise the communities about how the transition will occur, while pointing out that the programme is being administered by the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries. The CLA, along with RADA, provides technical oversight.
The CLA added that the Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) Act 2015 takes into account the monetary limitations of small-scale cultivators and includes provisions for waivers of licence fee or security bond and deferment of the payment fee or security bond.
Farmers can also strike a deal with the CLA for the fees and security bond to be paid in increments. Such request must be made in writing to the CLA, which will forward it to the Ministry of Finance for consideration.
The CLA has also expanded its allowable perimeter fencing options for cultivation properties beyond chain-link fencing, to provide more cost-effective solutions without compromising the required level of security.