“Jasmine Revolution”
Symbol of peace: Flowers placed on the barrel of a tank
in very much calmer protests than in recent days in Tunisia

'The Protester' - Time Person of the Year 2011

'The Protester' - Time Person of the Year 2011
Mannoubia Bouazizi, the mother of Tunisian street vendor Mohammed Bouazizi. "Mohammed suffered a lot. He worked hard. but when he set fire to himself, it wasn’t about his scales being confiscated. It was about his dignity." (Peter Hapak for TIME)

1 - TUNISIA Democratic Change / Freedom of Speech (In Transition)


How eyepatches became a symbol of Egypt's revolution - Graffiti depicting a high ranking army officer with an eye patch Photograph: Nasser Nasser/ASSOCIATED PRESS

2 - EGYPT Democratic Change / Freedom of Speech (In Transition)


''17 February Revolution"

3 - LIBYA Democratic Change / Freedom of Speech (In Transition)

5 - SYRIA Democratic Change / Freedom of Speech (In Transition)

"25 January Youth Revolution"
Muslim and Christian shoulder-to-shoulder in Tahrir Square
"A Summary" – Apr 2, 2011 (Kryon channelled by Lee Carroll) (Subjects: Religion, Shift of Human Consciousness, 2012, Intelligent/Benevolent Design, EU, South America, 5 Currencies, Water Cycle (Heat up, Mini Ice Ace, Oceans, Fish, Earthquakes ..), Middle East, Internet, Israel, Dictators, Palestine, US, Japan (Quake/Tsunami Disasters , People, Society ...), Nuclear Power Revealed, Hydro Power, Geothermal Power, Moon, Financial Institutes (Recession, Realign integrity values ..) , China, North Korea, Global Unity,..... etc.) -
(Subjects: Egypt Uprising, Iran/Persia Uprising, Peace in Middle East without Israel actively involved, Muhammad, "Conceptual" Youth Revolution, "Conceptual" (without a manager hierarchy) managed Businesses, Internet, Social Media, News Media, Google, Bankers, Global Unity,..... etc.)
"The End of History" – Nov 20, 2010 (Kryon channelled by Lee Carroll)
(Subjects:Abraham, Isaac, Ishmael, Muhammad, Jesus, God, Jews, Arabs, EU, US, Israel, Iran, Russia, Africa, South America, Global Unity,..... etc.) (Text version)

"If an Arab and a Jew can look at one another and see the Akashic lineage and see the one family, there is hope. If they can see that their differences no longer require that they kill one another, then there is a beginning of a change in history. And that's what is happening now. All of humanity, no matter what the spiritual belief, has been guilty of falling into the historic trap of separating instead of unifying. Now it's starting to change. There's a shift happening."


“ … Here is another one. A change in what Human nature will allow for government. "Careful, Kryon, don't talk about politics. You'll get in trouble." I won't get in trouble. I'm going to tell you to watch for leadership that cares about you. "You mean politics is going to change?" It already has. It's beginning. Watch for it. You're going to see a total phase-out of old energy dictatorships eventually. The potential is that you're going to see that before 2013.

They're going to fall over, you know, because the energy of the population will not sustain an old energy leader ..."



African Union (AU)

African Union (AU)
African Heads of State pose for a group photo ahead of the start of the 28th African Union summit in Addis Ababa on January 30, 2017 (AFP Photo/ Zacharias ABUBEKER)

Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela
Few words can describe Nelson Mandela, so we let him speak for himself. Happy birthday, Madiba.

Thursday, September 5, 2019

Lesotho, Africa's medical cannabis pioneer

Yahoo – AFP, Noé Hochet-Bodin, September 4, 2019

Lesotho-based company Medigrow cultivates cannabis legally for the medical 
marijuana industry (AFP Photo/GUILLEM SARTORIO)

Marakabei (Lesotho) (AFP) - Vast white greenhouses sit high up on the slopes of Lesotho's Marakabei town, hidden from view.

It's not fruit or vegetables, however, growing under the 18 plastic covers, but thousands of cannabis plants.

The cannabis is grown legally by the Lesotho-based company Medigrow and is regulated by the government.

"We have three rows that contain 1,200 plants each. That's 3,600 plants across the whole structure," said Medigrow's head of production Albert Theron, gazing proudly over the crop.

In 2017, the tiny landlocked kingdom of 2.1 million people decided to tap into the booming medical marijuana industry, becoming the first country in Africa to allow the cultivation of cannabis for medicinal purposes.

In order to meet legal standards, most traces of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) -- the main psychoactive constituent responsible for marijuana's intoxicating effects -- are removed from the seeds.

In 2017, Lesotho become the first country in Africa to allow the cultivation of
cannabis for medicinal purposes (AFP Photo/GUILLEM SARTORIO)

The remaining medical version is primarily made of the non-psychoactive substance, cannabidiol (CBD), and can only be 0.03 percent THC.

Investing in 'green gold'

Medigrow has invested $19.3 million (17.4 million euros) in cannabis-growing facilities around the country's capital, Maseru.

A heliport is also being built to ensure the cannabis -- commonly referred to as "green gold" -- is shipped safely and swiftly, said head of operations Relebohile Liphoto.

The investment is spurred by the industry's positive outlook.

The global market for medical cannabis is currently estimated at $150 billion (135 billion euros) and could reach $272 billion in 2028, according to Barclays Bank.

"At the moment we have almost 2,000 kilos (4,400 pounds) of biomass and we are going to produce more than 1,000 litres (260 gallons) of CBD oil," said Liphoto.

The global market for medical cannabis is currently estimated at $150 billion
(135 billion euros) and could reach $272 billion in 2028, according to Barclays
Bank (AFP Photo/GUILLEM SARTORIO)

"Depending on the market, we can sell cannabis oil at between $6,000 and $21,000 per litre."

Mostly foreign companies

Nicknamed "Kingdom in the Sky", Lesotho is the only country in the world whose entire territory sits higher than 1,400 metres (4,620 feet) above sea level.

Deputy health minister Manthabiseng Phohleli told AFP that the legalisation of cannabis presented "a huge opportunity for the country", which boasts 300 days of sunshine per year.

"It attracts investors," she said. "So far we have around 10 businesses operating on the territory."

Entirely surrounded by South Africa, Lesotho is also one of the poorest countries in the world, ranking 159 out of 189 in the latest UN Human Development Index.

Unemployment is high, public services are scant and almost a quarter of the population is infected with HIV.

Lesotho's deputy health minister Manthabiseng Phohleli (pictured) said that the 
legalisation of cannabis presented "a huge opportunity for the country" (AFP Photo/
GUILLEM SARTORIO)

The government charges 30,000 euros for a one-year renewable licence to grow cannabis.

But the cost is too steep for most locals, and the market is dominated by foreign companies, mainly from Canada and the United States.

Basothos miss out

Mothiba Thamae has been growing apples, peaches and raisins on 7.5 hectares (18.5 acres) of land for over two decades.

He can not afford the "green gold" licence.

"We hoped the government would give small Basotho farmers the opportunity to cultivate (cannabis) legally," said the 38-year old, referring to Lesotho's main ethnic group.

"Unfortunately they did not."

Year-long sunshine and fertile soils make Lesotho ideal for cannabis plants.

Known as "matekoane" in Lesotho's national language, Sesotho, cannabis has 
been grown for centuries in rural areas (AFP Photo/GUILLEM SARTORIO)

Known as "matekoane" in Sesotho, the country's national language, it has been grown for centuries in rural areas.

"The first historical trace of matekoane dates back to the 16th century," said Laurent Laniel, a researcher at the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction.

"The Koena (people) are believed to have settled in Lesotho around 1550 by buying land from San groups in exchange for marijuana."

'Cannabis money is a bonus'

To this day, cannabis remains an important source of revenue for many small-scale farmers.

Shasha owns a corn field in the centre of the country, on which he has also been growing cannabis illegally for around 20 years.

"The vegetables feed my family. Cannabis money is a bonus," said Shasha. "It allows me to survive and pay for my children's education."

Year-long sunshine and fertile soils make Lesotho ideal for cannabis plants 
(AFP Photo/GUILLEM SARTORIO)

He sells his "matekoane" to a network of dealers like Jama, who smuggles up to 80 kilos of cannabis across the border to South Africa each month.

"That yields between 400 and 500 euros," Jama told AFP.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime estimates that 70 percent of marijuana consumed in South Africa is grown in Lesotho, making cannabis the country's third source of revenue.

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