Brazilian Agricultural Agency Gets Greenlight to Research Cannabis 

Brazilian agricultural research agency Embrapa has received permission from health agency Anvisa to research the cannabis plant, which will allow the agency to build its first-ever cannabis seed bank, Reuters reports. Embrapa also plans to research hemp for fiber production. 

Embrapa researcher Daniela Bittencourt told Reuters that the agency plans to conduct the research for 12 years, “but it may possibly go on forever, like what happens with soy and corn.” 

“Can you imagine if we had already carried out the genetic improvement of this plant like we’ve done with cotton in the last 50 years?” — Bittencourt, in a February interview with Reuters 

An initial 13 million reais ($2.41 million) in public funding will soon be released to fund Embrapa’s cannabis research, Bittencourt said. The agency is open to researching the plant in partnership with the private sector, Bittencourt added.

Anvisa said it is developing rules for cultivating cannabis “for medicinal and scientific purposes.” Embrapa scientists first applied in September 2024 for authorization from the health agency to conduct cannabis research. 

Growing and selling cannabis remains prohibited in Brazil, though purchasing and possessing up to 40 grams for personal use is no longer a crime.