Hemp is incredibly versatile in that it can be used to help produce thousands of different products, including things like food, ropes, body lotions, bedding, fuel, paper, and clothing. It's a crop that many farmers globally are starting to become more interested in, with more farmers starting who are now looking to start growing their own hemp crops.
One of the areas in the world that would likely benefit tremendously from turning in the the direction of hemp is India.
At the moment, the countries that are the leaders in the cotton industry, when it comes to production, are places like India and China, the United States, and Pakistan. Cotton production between 2016-2017 for India, who happens to be the leader in this industry; currently the second largest exporter, was estimated to be around 5.88 million metric tons.
This country also has a very serious issue with farmers who have committed suicide, alleged to be over debts related to their farming. Since 1995, it's estimated that over 270,000 farmers have taken their lives, roughly 12,000+ every year.
And not only have many of the farmers there been taking their lives intentionally, but many others are also alleged to have suffered from pesticide poisoning and died as a result.
Switching To Hemp...
Right now, hemp can be legally cultivated for industrial and horticulture purposes, and there are a few companies that have already sought to produce a variety of hemp products in the region. But perhaps it could offer even more benefit if more farmers would turn toward embracing the crop over cotton.
The Benefits...
Hemp is said to last longer than cotton and is much more durable, requires roughly half the amount of water and land that it takes to grow cotton, and the crop can be harvested in 90 days. It's also allegedly able to be grown without the use of any herbicides, and with little to no pesticides.
Cotton is regarded as being one of the 'thirstiest crops' that is out there. And it is estimated to require roughly 20,000 liters of water in order to produce only about 1kg of cotton. To grow the same amount of hemp, roughly 1kg of dry hemp, researchers have found that it only requires about 300-500 liters of water.
There are many farmers still in India, as with elsewhere in the world, who aren't yet aware of the incredible market value that hemp can provide. However, there are multiple efforts taking place not only in India, but throughout the US and elsewhere, where hemp advocates are trying to educate their local communities on the various possibilities that can be explored by moving to accept and further cultivate hemp.
This is one crop that might make a tremendous difference to the lives of many, and the economy in not only India but in many areas globally.
Pics:
Pixabay
Pixabay
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Sources:
http://www.wrn.com/2017/10/hemp-producers-say-crop-would-be-good-for-wisconsin-farmers/
https://www.statista.com/statistics/263055/cotton-production-worldwide-by-top-countries/
http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/19/asia/india-cotton-farmers-suicide/index.html
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-41510730
https://mjbizdaily.com/state-in-india-legalizes-hemp-cultivation/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/ashoka/2017/10/23/could-hemp-fashion-be-the-key-to-fixing-indias-cotton-economy/#3b7eb922106a
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/over-12000-farmer-suicides-per-year-centre-tells-supreme-court/articleshow/58486441.cms
https://www.sei-international.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-Report-EcologicalFootprintAndWaterAnalysisOfCottonHempAndPolyester-2005.pdf
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/in-80-farmer-suicides-due-to-debt-loans-from-banks-not-moneylenders-4462930/
Related Posts:
Trying To Remove The Stigma Surrounding Hemp
https://steemit.com/hemp/@doitvoluntarily/trying-to-remove-the-stigma-surrounding-hemp
A Hemp Solution To Plastic
https://steemit.com/hemp/@doitvoluntarily/a-hemp-solution-to-plastic
Growing Hemp For Fuel
https://steemit.com/hemp/@doitvoluntarily/growing-hemp-for-fuel
This is interesting information. I am from India and actually in the look out of crops for our land. Traditional crops are failing due various reasons like diseases and change in rain (climate change) and newer crops are required to sustain.
On the farmer suicides, its a reality and it doesn't happen by consuming pesticides by mistake or so. The major reason is the farmers who rely on short term crops like cotton comes under pressure if one season of their crop fails. Since there will not be any alternate income available to run the day to day life ( operational expenses in the business world) or income / money to invest in new crops ie for next harvest season, they end up in tough situations.
@doitvoluntarily I checked about hemp in India .. it seems there are few initiatives. For example : http://iihaindia.org/about-iiha/
Hemp looks similar to medical cannabis and I think the similarity in how it looks is going to be trouble in the South Indian states and it may attract legal trouble! (Though its funny to note that the cannabis from certain south Indian region is assumed to be the best in the world!)
I was about to mention how it's a plastic substitute and saw you already posted about that.
Would be great to replace chemical plastics with hemp and corn stock cellulose. :)
Great piece!
So there are economic and environmental benefits from growing hemp, yet farmers growing cotton. I wonder if this just inertia or there are other reasons for this? 🤔
great question... This is food for thought.
i'm willing to wear Hemp clothing - apparently, it absorbs one's perspiration readily -- and then releases perspiration quickly. So it has definite benefits; it "breathes" well
it's anti-microbial, too
I read about health benefits of hemp clothing too, possibly even killing bad bacterias on your skin. So I wonder if there is a strong cotton lobby preventing hemp uptake.
Yeah, wouldn't it be just like those Lobbyists in washington D.C.
Evidently, in 2017 the National Cotton Council spent $750,000 ♦♦ It was $820,000 in 2016. In 2013, they spent almost 1 million
The source is :
Hehe, those Lobbyist turds -- don't ya just love 'em?
That's what I was suspecting. It will take time to build hemp lobby 😁
Wow great information, though I doubt if it can be planted over here in Nigeria. From your post viewing the tremendous benefits I will start to sort for more information if it is available this way and how to get it down if not.
But my fear is, is it not the same with what we call Indian hemp that is abused as hard drugs. This is banned over here.
Also I feel if this is true as in same, it's available and in abundance can increase it's abuse.
Thanks for this information. Nice post
It is shocking the amount of land and water we are wasting. The growing of cotton is another good example when we could be growing hemp. As you mention hemp has so many great uses.
At the moment I'm writing posts pertaining to scarcity and how it is artificially created through the wastage of resources such as land and water. My main focus is currently the meat and dairy industries. I should have a new post relating to that out tomorrow.
I love my hemp lotion its good for so many things, I feel so sad for those farmers of only everything would turn around and be legal everywhere
I always wondered if my cannabis stalks and other by-products could be used to make personal hemp like products. Hope to see an article about processing down the road!
Wow, that is quite a Distinction - the Fact that just 300 -500 liters of water required to produce 1 kg of Hemp.
This seems like it could help India, and other nations.
Thank u for a great contribution - very educational
Will share on social #media.
thanks for reading!:) and sharing
Great share. Hemp is such a great plant. Love the hemp car they made a few years back too.
Looks like hemp is the crop to grow, so many benefits :)
really nice post like it
Yes is ot true i like your post good info
I actually been thinking about this for a while! I m originally from Moscow, Russia. Hemp has long history here, it was one of the biggest export back in Tsar Russia and Empire too, especially to British for their armada.. But what strikes me most is that during 1960s, in Soviets time, they decided to ban it, and I assume as a result start growing cotton in parts like southern regions like Uzbekistan or Kazakstan, and maybe you have heard of Aral Sea. Actually there is so much more to say about it, I am going to write a post about it. Hope maybe you come check it out. Thanks for inspiration
There are a lot of Hemp fields in Tennessee, One was near my house a few years ago and you seen so many cops driving by and other people looking at it like it was smoke able buds
Great Blog!
It's the industry that needs to change.
Hemp could make our lives much better!
Thanks for putting your effort in this and enlightening us! Keep it up!
This is a great post, very excited to see it on here. Hemp is an amazing plant, the whole plant can be used, from nourishing our bodies to insulating our homes and much much more. Why do we continue to cut down trees for paper.I love that their is zero waste with hemp. Thanks so much for putting this together and sharing.Upvoted and resteemed.
I agree that hemp is the better choice but at this time (in retail), things made out of hemp are more expensive. I expect that part of the reason is that hemp is not currently produced in the quantities that cotton is which means both the raw materials and the means to refine them are more scarce and hard to acquire. Unless there is a big reason to switch and until the cost is more equivalent to cotton people are less likely to demand those products. I don't know how to affect either of these problems.
Actually is expensive because its not legal in most areas as cotton is therefore there no benefits of economies of scale, competion, research and development.
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Some other facts to consider are: Over 90% of cotton is GMO and cotton is considered one of world’s dirtiest crops. Cotton is treated with pesticides and insecticides in both its growing and manufacturing process. Cotton’s second best-selling insecticide is Aldicarb which is most acutely poisonous to humans and wildlife. Cotton production worldwide uses 16% of the world’s total pesticide consumption for growing. These chemicals get into the groundwater and cause a multitude of problems for the communities where it is grown.
I buy most of my clothes from thrift stores because I don't want to support the production of new cotton for clothing.
Another way humans consume a high amount of cotton is tampons for women. It is dangerous to have all of the pesticides and chemicals in such an absorbent area of our body.
I hope we make the switch to hemp soon! Thanks for posting this informative article.