Kenya Hemp Conference 2025: Pioneering Industrial Hemp in East Africa

"Hemp in Africa: Highlights from KEHE Con 2025"

Welcome back to the Let's Talk Hemp podcast! I'm your host, Morris Beagle, and today we have an exciting episode as we dive into the first-ever Kenya Hemp Conference, KEHE Con 2025, held in Nairobi, Kenya. This landmark event brought together policymakers, farmers, industry leaders, and international stakeholders to discuss the future of industrial hemp in East Africa. 

We start the episode by wishing everyone a happy new year and sharing our plans for more consistent podcast episodes in 2025. We also give a shoutout to our sponsor, Her Many Voices, for their continued support.

The Kenya Hemp Conference, held at the prestigious Villa Rosa Kempinski Hotel, was a historic event with over 100 attendees and a lineup of expert speakers. The conference covered a wide range of topics, including hemp agronomy, processing, applications in plastics, animal feed, and carbon sequestration. The goal was to lay the groundwork for developing a hemp industry in Kenya and beyond.

In this episode, we feature interviews with nine key voices from the conference:

Paul Kirika from the National Museums of Kenya, who shares his excitement about the endless opportunities in hemp cultivation and its potential to transform local and export economies.

Lusike Ajayi, Director of Crop Systems in Kenya, who discusses the importance of underutilized fruits and the potential of industrial hemp to replace plastics and support sustainable agriculture.

Dr Rizike Mwadalu from the Kenya Forest Research Institute, who highlights the potential of industrial hemp for carbon sequestration and soil management.

Dennis Itumbi from the President's office, who emphasizes the need for policy changes and the importance of moving from policy discussions to practical implementation on farms.

Cedric Nwafor from Roots Africa, who talks about connecting U.S. academic institutions with African farming communities and the potential of industrial hemp to transform local economies.

Rusty Peterson from IND Hemp, who discusses the importance of sustainability and the potential of industrial hemp to meet UN SDG goals.

Olufemi Ajayi from Alabama State University, who shares insights on integrated pest management and the importance of legalizing industrial hemp in Kenya.

Kingwa Kamencu from Blackstar Media, who talks about the business and spiritual aspects of hemp and the potential of hempwood and hemp food products.

Sankara Sankie member of event organizing team and eight plus year advocate and industrial hemp educator.

Throughout the episode, we explore the various applications of industrial hemp, from food and animal feed to biodegradable plastics and carbon credits. The enthusiasm and optimism of the speakers highlight the potential of industrial hemp to drive economic development, sustainability, and innovation in Kenya and beyond.

 

Sponsor Acknowledgment

A big thank you to our sponsor, Her Many Voices, a platform where grassroots activism meets indigenous wisdom to benefit all of Earth's inhabitants. Visit them at hermanyvoices.org

 

 

TIMESTAMP

00:00:00 - Introduction and New Year Wishes
00:00:45 - Overview of Kenya Hemp Conference
00:02:32 - Interview with Paul Kirika: National Museums of Kenya
00:05:27 - Hemp's Role in Food and Animal Feed
00:07:04 - Legalization and Policy Challenges in Kenya
00:10:23 - Final Thoughts from Paul Kirika
00:11:22 - Interview with Lusike Wasilwa: Crop Systems Director
00:13:01 - Lusike's Experience with Industrial Crops
00:15:06 - Hemp's Potential in Replacing Plastics
00:17:03 - Hemp's Economic and E