John Greim/LightRocket via Getty Images The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development will begin issuing and monitoring licences for hemp production in October. Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development Minister Thoko Didiza announced this on Thursday in her budget vote speech. She also urged Parliament to remove hemp from drug trafficking legislation. About high time, some will say, but the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development will begin issuing and monitoring permits for the production of hemp in South Africa. Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development Minister Thoko Didiza made this announcement on Thursday when she presented her department's budget vote to a virtual sitting of a mini-plenary of the National Assembly.