#TeamInvegrow is led by Tanya Clarke. Tanya is a social entrepreneur with a strong desire to
support sustainable economic development in Malawi, the country which has been her home
for 8 incredible years!
Tanya has extensive relevant experience, having already built a successful agricultural business in Malawi, www.kawandama-hills.com, which produces quality essential oils and employs hundreds of Malawians. She is committed to initiatives that improve the lives of local
people through the ambitious work of her educational charity Expand.
Invegrow was founded in 2013 and is proud to already have the full support of the Malawian
government, as well as several key civil society and private sector groups, all of whom share
our passion for the future of industrial hemp!
WHY INDUSTRIAL HEMP?
Industrial hemp is a variety of the Cannabis sativa plant that is bred specifically for industrial
uses. It is non-psychoactive - so unlike the marijuana variety of the cannabis plant, industrial
hemp wouldn’t produce the ‘high’ feeling if smoked!
Industrial hemp is currently grown in 36 countries worldwide including Canada, Australia,
Germany, France, and the UK. It is an age old crop that was bred specifically for industrial
purposes, and was one of the most important crops in World War 2 for its strong fibres used for
sails and military uniforms. It's an incredibly versatile crop that is used in sustainable
construction, seed and oil production for cosmetics and foods, medicines, and fibre for textiles
- giving it enormous and wide-ranging potential markets.
WHY NOW?
The timing is perfect - industrial hemp is experiencing a rebirth as people are beginning to
demand a more responsible and sustainable lifestyle. In 2013 Invegrow identified that industrial
hemp would offer huge potential as a successful cash crop for Malawi, and began
campaigning. As a result, Invegrow became the first and only company in the country allowed
to trial the crop. This is a pioneering venture and Invegrow finally commenced trials in
November 2015 at the Malawi Government's premier Agricultural Research Station. We are
also helping amend the relevant Acts with the Government to correctly define industrial hemp
in law. We aim to be growing the crop commercially by December 2016 in the rainy season.
Malawi needs creative and innovative businesses ideas. Africa has tremendous growth
potential but it is still struggling in many respects. #TeamInvegrow has a strong and clear vision
of Malawi spearheading the cultivation of industrial hemp in Africa, with other countries in the
region following in our footsteps.