By Stephania Christodoulou
Industrial hemp, Cannabis sativa L., also known as Klostiki or Kannavin, is deeply rooted in the history of Cyprus.
Its indelible mark is found to this day in the names of certain areas where cannabis cultivation was widespread, such as the villages of Kannavia and Kannaviou.
Having a profound importance in the history and spirituality of the island, we find the Virgin Mary as the patroness of the crop that flourished at that time even in a church dedicated to her, “Panagia Horteni”, located in Pelathousa, Paphos. A crop of particular economic importance, hemp was the basic raw material whose processing employed several family members, mainly women, and was one of the island’s main export products over time, until its international prohibition.
Fast forward to today, with climate change and environmental degradation posing an existential threat to Cyprus, Europe and the world at large. It was certainly after careful thought and planning that in 2016 the Cypriot government passed the “Production and Trade of Industrial Cannabis Law of 2016 [L.61(I)/2016]”, which regulates the production and trade of whole plants or parts of plants or seeds of the Cannabis sativa species whose concentration of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) does not exceed 0.3%.
Aligning Cyprus with the EU’s common agricultural policy (CAP), the cultivation of hemp contributes to achieving the objectives of the European Green Deal, offering numerous environmental benefits, such as:
To date, Cyprus has a particularly low rate of young farmers in the EU. Continuing in not having any hemp crops after eight years, while also lagging behind in progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Cyprus ranked 32nd out of 34 European countries in the European Sustainable Development Report for 2023/24.
Due to its characteristics, its widespread cultivation and use, and its variety of applications, it was found that the Cannabis sativa L. plant and its related policies directly activate at least 64 of the 169 targets across 15 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda. Therefore, linking hemp and industrial hemp policies to sustainable development and human rights can be a lever for progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Hemp has the potential to significantly contribute to creating a more ecologically aware and sustainable society, providing practical solutions to ensure nutritious food, environmentally friendly non-food products, clean air and soils.
Its reintroduction into the lives of Cypriots has the potential to create highly skilled jobs and long-term sustainable development. In the process, we can remember our roots and restore production processes, especially those related to textiles and promoting creative value chains, such as those related to food and feed production, construction materials, paper, plastic, wood, cosmetics, biofuels and finally the export of cannabinoids.
Stephania Christodoulou is founder and CEO at Klostiki Ltd, Life & Transform. Coach/Energy Worker/Mentor at lifeatyourmeasures.com, co-founder of cyprushobbit.com
