The cannabis industry in South Africa stands on the cusp of a boom, and technology is there to help this process along by improving efficiency, yield and profitability.
Agri-tech – the application of technology and digital tools to farming – has proven to be a gamechanger for all agricultural sectors. Agri-tech can be used to reduce costs and boost sustainability, thereby increasing profitability. This has become increasingly important as demand for food increases, and climate change threatening not only food security but the entire agricultural sector.
The formal South African cannabis industry, according to Dr Ivan Meyer, Western Cape MEC for Agriculture, Economic Development and Tourism, has the potential to create up to 25 000 jobs and could be worth around R28 billion.
But to be competitive and benefit from the boom, cannabis growers need to put a lot of effort into growing high-quality cannabis so that they can produce accurate concentrations of specific cannabinoids. As more countries legalise cannabis cultivation and use, customers will focus more on the quality of product being produced. This is another important factor for growers to consider.
Excessive humidity – whether in a commercial greenhouse or indoors at a private home – is a problem faced by all cannabis growers. High humidity makes it difficult for the plants to develop, inhibiting growth and reducing bud size and quality.
More importantly, high humidity leads to disease outbreaks, such as botrytis, also known as bud rot or grey mould. This happens when the dense cannabis buds trap moisture, causing mould to develop inside the bud where it’s most harmful. Bud rot is one of the most common problems in modern cannabis cultivation and is the leading cause of yield loss.
This is where technology really comes to the rescue. Used properly, good tech allows cannabis growers to deal with humidity by removing the guesswork in a cost-effective, energy efficient way.
One bit of technology that is absolutely essential for cannabis growers, for both home growers and commercial ventures, is a dehumidifier.
Dehumidifiers have become essential tools for growers, offering precise climate control throughout every stage of growth. Modern dehumidifiers are designed to deliver powerful humidity control while being highly energy-efficient, helping growers maintain ideal vapor pressure deficit (VPD) and cut energy costs at the same time. Beyond environmental control, dehumidifiers play a key role in compliance and product quality by helping achieve the desired cannabinoid profiles, preserve aroma, and meet strict GMP standards essential for both medical and recreational markets.
However, one size doesn’t fit all. Dehumidifier technology has come a long way in serving the needs of various operations, depending on the scale of production, type of facility, desired outcome, and of course, budget.
These innovations are built to work as fixed or portable solutions, and integrate seamlessly with other agri-tech systems, including lighting, HVAC, and irrigation, enabling streamlined control and automation.
As South Africa positions itself as a serious player in the global cannabis market, embracing the right technology will be a critical differentiator. By investing in advanced environmental controls like dehumidifiers and integrating them with broader agri-tech systems, local cannabis growers big and small face a bright, technologically enabled, future.
- Wynand Deyzel, Commercial Sales Manager at air treatment technology company Solenco
