Small-scale cannabis farmers in the rural parts of the Eastern Cape are feeling the pinch of obtaining farming licences. This is particularly difficult for a 27-year-old farmer who has been involved in the cannabis industry for the past four years. Originally from Mcobothini, in Lusikisiki, the farmer has managed to find a secluded area where he plants approximately 500 trees of cannabis annually with plans to expand his production. “Obtaining cannabis farming licences has proven to be more difficult than I thought, but they have promised to come up with a way forward,” he said. He said another problem is that licences are only issued to cooperatives — and not to individuals.