Morocco is one of the world’s top producers of cannabis, much of it making its way — discreetly — to Europe, by land and sea. (Photo by Sebastian Gollnow/picture alliance via Getty Images)
Hamid Hssisen hails from a long line of Moroccan cannabis growers.
But this October’s harvest is different — it’s the first time his crop has been legal. Hssisen, 32, is from Bab Berred, a small town in the Rif Mountains, which run along the Mediterranean coast. It’s one of the poorest regions of Morocco.
With few economic alternatives, its farmers have grown illicit cannabis for generations.
Morocco is famous for its kif, a finely chopped cannabis that is mixed with tobacco and smoked in a long pipe or rolled into a joint. Smoked recreationally, kif is still illegal. But Morocco has legalised cannabis for medicinal, industrial and cosmetic use and established a regulatory agency to oversee its production.
Last April, the country even unveiled a logo for approved cannabis products: a green marijuana leaf framed by a red emblem suggestive of the country’s flag.
The kingdom wants to undercut drug traffickers and formalise the cannabis industry, which produced about 900 tonnes of resin in 2022.
Morocco is one of the world’s top producers of cannabis, much of it making its way — discreetly — to Europe, by land and sea.
The state’s next challenge is to get its army of cannabis growers — including farmers like Hssisen — on board. That isn’t easy. Farmers are required to licence their farms and work with the pharmaceutical companies who will put the crops to legal use. That means following new regulations — and paying taxes.
According to the interior ministry’s latest figures, about 760 000 Moroccans depend on cannabis production for their livelihoods or more than 2% of the population. Most are in the underdeveloped Rif region, historically a flashpoint for uprisings fuelled by the area’s marginalisation.
Many farmers are suspicious about working with the state. Many worry it will come at their expense.
“What I fear is that the profits will go to the state, the labs, the multinationals and we’ll be left behind,” said Mohammed Amjirir, a farmer in his sixties who grows cannabis in the beachside town of Al Hoceima.
Hssisen is giving it a go. He has partnered with a company in Tangiers that is using cannabis in producing pharmaceutical products. He also heads the Ben Amr Co-operative for Cannabis Legalisation.
“We’re cultivating Beldyia, a strain that doesn’t require irrigation. Currently, we have nearly 14 hectares planted and are employing 15 small farmers,” said Hssisen.
“Farmers were initially afraid that the government would stop cannabis cultivation, so they were hesitant to comply with the new procedures. However, when they saw the positive results from other co-operatives, they began to feel optimistic and started to work legally.”
Cannabis is typically planted in April and May, as the weather warms, and harvested in September and October.
In 2023, Morocco’s first legal harvest yielded 294 tonnes. This year, output is expected to be much higher, with 10 times as much land cultivated with licensed cannabis — roughly 2 700 hectares, according to the regulator. In comparison, roughly 55 000 hectares were grown illegally in 2019, the latest figures available.
Even among farmers who are keen, the legalisation drive still comes with snags. Farmers are required to prove ownership of their land if they want to get licensed but many of them say their land is inherited and there’s simply no documentation.
Some farmers say they can make more money selling the illegal stuff. One key benefit of legalisation is that it gives farmers legal protection, said Driss Anouar Boutazamat, a cannabis researcher at the Université Sultan Moulay Slimane Béni Mellal.
“They are now legally recognised and no longer forced to operate in the shadows,” he said. “This change is significant, especially with the royal pardon granted to farmers who, for years, lived in fear of arrest and could not trade freely.”
Published in collaboration with Egab.
This article first appeared in The Continent, the pan-African weekly newspaper produced in partnership with the Mail & Guardian. It’s designed to be read and shared on WhatsApp. Download your free copy here