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Embrapa Cleared to Research Cannabis, Opening Door to Cultivation and Hemp Industry

Embrapa has received Anvisa approval to research cannabis, including creating a seed bank and breeding varieties for uses such as hemp fiber. An initial 13 million reais ($2.41 million) in public funds will support a planned 12-year program, with the institute open to private partnerships. Embrapa expects Anvisa to publish cultivation rules by March 2026 after a November 2024 court order. Recreational planting and sales remain illegal, though small-scale possession is decriminalized.

02:22 AM, 11/22/2025Economy
Embrapa Cleared to Research Cannabis, Opening Door to Cultivation and Hemp Industry

By Ana Mano

Brazil's state agricultural research corporation Embrapa has received formal authorization from health regulator Anvisa to study the cannabis plant — a milestone that brings the country closer to permitting cultivation for scientific and medicinal uses.

The approval allows Embrapa to establish its first cannabis seed bank and launch programs to breed and genetically improve varieties for multiple purposes, including hemp for fiber production. Embrapa plans an initial 12-year research program, though researchers say the work could continue indefinitely, similar to long-term crop improvement efforts for soy and corn.

Scope, funding and partnerships

An initial public allocation of 13 million reais (about $2.41 million) will be released soon to support the program, and Embrapa is open to partnerships with private-sector firms and international cannabis companies interested in medicinal and industrial applications.

Regulatory outlook

Embrapa researcher Daniela Bittencourt said the agency expects Anvisa to publish rules on cannabis cultivation by March 2026, following a court order issued in November 2024. In 2019, Anvisa approved rules for the sale of medicinal cannabis products but rejected a separate proposal to allow domestic medical marijuana plantations.

"This is only the beginning," Bittencourt said. "Our plan is to carry out research for 12 years but it may possibly go on forever, like what happens with soy and corn."

Planting and selling recreational marijuana remain illegal in Brazil, though possession and purchase of up to 40 grams for personal use is no longer a criminal offense. Embrapa's research could strengthen Brazil's capacity to develop domestic medicinal and industrial cannabis products while leveraging the institute's decades of experience adapting crops to tropical conditions.

Currency conversion used: $1 = 5.3926 reais.

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