It occurs to me that for years, decades in fact, nearly ALL Ganja cultivation was done with the intention of harvesting a yield quickly and cutting down the crop for fear of the “Man” and the helicopters overhead so eloquently described in the music of Marlon Asher and the legendary Peter Tosh. That fear should be completely mitigated soon enough, which opens up a plethora of new farming techniques to be introduced into growing communities like Orange Hill in Jamaica. Orange Hill is arguably, the mecca of Cannabis farming in Jamaica.
Arguments aside, one cannot dispute the fact that the relaxing of national laws, the growing public knowledge about the plant and the introduction of new farming techniques, Jamaican farmers are at the precipice of what will be an in-demand skill-set shortly.
Outdoor farming is clearly optimal for Jamaican farmers. Land is available, sunlight is a plenty and we have a number of communities that can directly get involved and benefit directly. The only mitigating factor is to ensure the right end-points of the distribution chain are appropriately in place. We’re not talking about the boys on the corner, we’re talking about the laboratories and factories and local outlets.
One community in particular, the Rastafarians, will embrace the change and the learning opportunities it will offer. For many, their lifelong labour and often cause of persecution, incarceration, abuse and dislocation from society, will reverse itself to a more appropriate place in the minds and spheres of the Jamaican society. For far too long Jamaicans have placed paramount emphasis on economic values while forgetting the inherent humane values that construct a civil society. If stature is limited by economic access, then let those chains be lifted. Cannabis offers economic inclusion for many more Jamaicans. It can and should be the bedrock of the Jamaican economy, with access for all.
In fact, much like the Arab nations have oil, we have arable soil, arable soil that has been purported to produce the best organic marijuana with the highest levels of naturally occurring THC in the world. THC stands for tetrahydrocannabinol [tet″rah-hi″dro-kah-nab´ĭ-nol] the organic substance intrinsic to the Cannabis plant that produces a psychological effect in humans. Our bodies are actually wired to interact with the chemical elements of Cannabis. One often hears of the higher levels of THC in modern day weed as opposed to “what you’re Daddy used to smoke”. Well Jamaican bud stands at the top of the pyramid.
THC’s use is not only for getting “high” though. Even the phychoactive attributes of THC have benefits. It is used daily by Cancer patients, Insomniacs, PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Dissorter) and many other common conditions. Couple that with the medicinal qualities of the CBD and we have a trasure trove of products we can grow, cultivate, process and distibute year round. Cannabidiol—CBD—is a cannabis compound that has significant medical benefits, but does not make people feel “stoned” and can actually counteract the psychoactivity of THC.
Strains with higher THC levels are bred that way with farming techniques known and unknown to many Jamaican farmers. They are hybrids or marijuana that has been genetically tweaked to produce the desired chemical levels in its output. These are the varying strains. Not unnatural, just a lot of cross breeding and nutrient infusion through hydroponic and other techniques used in farming and in laboratories.
We will be releasing a few videos of our own and from friends and partners to introduce local and international small and urban farmers how they can yield the best harvest from their earth bound creations. Yes, they are creations. The amount of sunlight counts. The amount of water counts. Atmospheric exposure counts. The birds and the bees count. All of these factors will impact any agro ambitions anyone may have. Here we will share a knowledgebase to guide you and our communities along the way.
I haven’t even started on industrial Hemp. It looks linke my day is full.
– One Love- #IamAGanjactivist- M. Omari Jackson