Industrial hemp: key to a more sustainable future?

What does the &' UN say about industrial hemp?

I'm not saying it, but l&' UN with a new report by &' UNCTAD, l&' agency of &' UN for Trade and Development, which reaffirms l&' important role that hemp could play in the global ecological transition.

In summary what it says:

“Climate change and its impact on the lives of billions of people require innovative solutions. An intriguing prospect could be the support and promotion of the industrial hemp sector, exploiting all parts of the plant to enhance them. L&' widespread use of hemp could be implemented in many regions of the world, helping to create different production chains. Industrial hemp value chains could have a positive impact on the climate and on the &' environment, being potentially carbon negative and sustainable. This could be effectively integrated into sustainable development strategies and the transition to clean energy sources. Global experiences highlight the need for regulations and government institutions to support the full exploitation of the industrial hemp plant

.”

The global industrial hemp market

Data from &' UN on &' food and &' agriculture indicate that 40 countries produce industrial hemp, with China, France, and the Netherlands leading international production and trade.

Canada and the United States are emerging as major producers. The annual trade of industrial hemp, according to international data, would be less than 50 million dollars, but larger estimates suggest a figure at least 6-7 times higher, considering the limited coverage of the products in

official statistics.

My thoughts: the problem is that in this sector investments are very difficult to make, at least in Italy.

L&' uncertainty and the changeability of regulations create major problems in this regard.

In addition, it is necessary to think about the entire row, to enhance all parts of the plant. History teaches us that like Italy we could say something: in the first decades of the 1900s we were among the first producers in the world, with areas of up to 90,000 hectares.

Do we want a sustainable world? We also focus on hemp!

Matteo Castioni