SACHIDA at The Cannabis Expo 2025, Johannesburg

Last week, SACHIDA had the privilege of attending The Cannabis Expo in Johannesburg, held from 30 May to 1 June. It was a buzzing three-day gathering of stakeholders across agriculture, medicine, industry, culture, regulation, and innovation — exactly the kind of space where our Association’s mission finds its fullest expression.

Connections and conversations were everywhere. We met farmers experimenting with local landrace strains, entrepreneurs developing new hemp-based products, researchers eager to explore how Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) can enrich cultivation, and policy folks interested in creating fair, accessible regulations. Sharing ideas around community empowerment, environmental sustainability, and ethical trade was inspiring — and exactly why we’re here.

One highlight was the International Cannabis Symposium, where global and local leaders discussed regulation, trade, compliance, and standards. Attending these panels gave us insight into how other jurisdictions balance public health, economic opportunity and social justice — perspectives we’ll draw on as we push for locally appropriate legal frameworks.

Then there was the Cannabis Food Market, which offered delicious evidence of how far innovation has come: food, drinks, snacks infused or inspired by cannabis and hemp, all crafted by South Africans. It’s not just about novelty; it’s about local supply chains, ingredient sourcing, quality, safety, and value addition — all parts of a holistic industry SACHIDA is focused on promoting.

We also enjoyed the “Freedom Festival” atmosphere — the lighter side of the Expo — with music, art and cultural expression mingling with serious policy and product conversations. It reminded us how deeply culture and people are intertwined with this sector; you can’t separate them.

SACHIDA came away with lots to reflect on and many concrete ideas. We’ll be working on translating what we learned into action: pushing further on training and capacity-building, advocating for regulatory reform that includes small-scale farmers and traditional healers, and exploring partnerships for sustainable, locally-owned processing.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by to chat, share, challenge, and encourage. If you missed us at the Expo, or want to follow up on anything — workshops, collaborations, or questions about our work — contact us we’re just an email away.

Here’s to building together: empowering communities, preserving knowledge, respecting the land, and growing an industry that serves all of us. The journey continues — and it feels more alive than ever.