Hemp talk
March 10, 2022

Interview with Hemp Leaders and Advocate around the World – Episode 6

Hemp Talk with Shipepe Heita- Cannabis & Hemp Association of Namibia, Africa.

Learn Hemp Industry insights from top Hemp Leaders and advocates from around the world.  Hosted by Hemp Foundation TALKS with Rebecca Spain.  

In today’s episode we travel to the land of the brave and home of the sophisticated rough diamond, Namibia, to speak with Shipepe Heita.  

Shipepe gives us insights into the initiatives of Hemp in Namibia and shares his passion to build the people and communities through the healing and economical values of hemp. 

About Shipepe Heita

Shipepe is a young entrepreneur and hemp advocate at the age of 28 and has already made such great progress. He has a Bachelor in Commerce in Finance, specializing in Risk Management from the Independent Institute of Education (IIE UK)

He is Co-Chair of Cannabis & Hemp Association of Namibia (CHAN)

www.cannabisnamibia.org

Shipepe’s corporate experience includes Sales, Brand Activation, Business Development and consulting services. He is certified in Project Management, Business Analysis and collaboration.

CHAN, Cannabis & Hemp Institute of Namibia, is a central hub of expertise and safe space for all things cannabis & hemp. The platform is committed to the full realization of the plant, with comprehensive legalization in Namibia being the ultimate aim. Their mission statement highlights and emphasizes Regulation, Education and Advocacy.

Shipepe’s foundation for meaning, and personal M.O. entails the simple mantra, “Serve & Inspire ”. A natural curiosity in seeking solutions and a strong belief in Namibia’s economic potential, strikes synergy for his perpetual passion for defying the odds. Additionally, he finds natural sequence,regenerative farming, and other climate smart agricultural phenomena as captivating solutions to his homeland.

Speaker Tags/Social Media: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/shipepe-heita-496b10100/

Vishal Vivek is the Founder and CEO of Ukhi, a pioneering bio-materials company dedicated to ending plastic pollution by converting agricultural waste into high-performance compostable polymers. With a background in sustainable entrepreneurship and over a decade of technology experience, he leads Ukhi’s vision to create scalable, planet-positive material solutions. Previously, Vishal founded the Hemp Foundation, where he empowered more than 1,000 farmers and advanced sustainable livelihood initiatives. His work has been recognized through awards such as the HDFC Parivartan Grant and featured in leading publications like Forbes and Entrepreneur. Times Group recognized him as a legendary entrepreneur and published his biography in “I Did IT- Vol 2” alongside social pioneers like Bindeshwar Pathak (Sulabh International) and Anshu Gupta (Goonj). Vishal has authored more than 200 articles on sustainability and hemp, reflecting his deep expertise and advocacy for regenerative solutions. His commitment to grassroots impact led him to live in the remote mountains of Uttarakhand, where he immersed himself in the lives of marginal farmers, understanding their challenges and co-creating economic opportunities through hemp-based initiatives. A deeply passionate innovator, Vishal often draws inspiration from seemingly impossible achievements: “If Elon Musk can make rockets reusable, or Dashrath Manjhi can carve a path through a mountain with rudimentary tools, why can’t we eliminate the demon of single-use plastic while uplifting struggling farmers? We will make it happen—whatever it takes.” Ukhi is proud to be supported by premier institutions including IIT Guwahati, NSRCEL-IIM Bangalore, Indian School of Business (Hyderabad), Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR Pusa), and the Indian Institute of Packaging. Vishal is committed to demonstrating that business can be a powerful catalyst for global environmental and social good. Connect with Vishal Vivek