Dominica is making a bold play to position itself as a Caribbean leader in medicinal cannabis.
The Ministry of Agriculture is set to host a high-stakes National Cannabis Symposium from 9-10 July.
Themed “Regulatory and Economic Environment for a Viable Medicinal Cannabis Industry”, the event will convene regional policymakers, researchers, and investors at the State House Conference Centre. The event will chart a path from informal cultivation to a regulated, export-ready sector.
According to the Ministry, the symposium will support the rollout of the Medicinal Cannabis Bill and the creation of a Cannabis Licensing Authority. These are key pillars of Dominica’s strategy to modernise agriculture and attract green capital.
The agenda is packed with investor-focused programming, including a Cannabis Investment Dinner and an exposition showcasing value-added products across the supply chain.
Featured speakers include Dr. Machel Emmanuel, a leading cannabis researcher at UWI Mona and head of the Life Science Cannabis Research Group. In addition, Brendon Roberts, author of Cannabis Development. Discussions will span licensing frameworks, sustainable cultivation, traditional uses, and harmonised regional regulation.
The House of Nyabinghi will lead a cultural segment, underscoring cannabis’s spiritual and historical significance in Caribbean communities.
For global investors, the symposium signals Dominica’s intent to become a credible player in the fast-growing medicinal cannabis market — a sector projected to exceed US$60 billion globally by 2030.
The initiative aligns with the goals of World Rural Development Day by promoting inclusive economic growth, agricultural diversification, and rural job creation.
As Dominica transitions from subsistence farming to high-value agri-industries, the cannabis sector could become a cornerstone of its green economy — if regulatory clarity and investor confidence follow through.
