Strategic Collaboration to Advance Use of Omega-Rich Hemp Seed Oil for Health Resilience in Africa
IND HEMP harvests hemp seed grain in Montana
Hemp Seed Oil
Fort Benton, Montana and Washington, DC, April 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — IND HEMP, the leading industrial hemp producer and processor in the United States, and the National Hemp Association (NHA) today announced a pioneering, nutrition-based strategy to combat malaria using hemp seed oil. Drawing on decades of scientific research, IND HEMP spotlights hemp seed oil’s remarkable promise to reduce malaria’s global burden. NHA’s relationships in Africa and ability to unite diverse stakeholders strengthen this initiative, ensuring hemp-based solutions can be effectively implemented in malaria-endemic communities.
“Malaria is a global health crisis that demands a fresh perspective,” said Ken Elliott, President of IND HEMP. “We’ve reviewed a ton of scientific research showing Omega-3-rich foods like fish can help prevent malaria. More recent research has shown that a diet rich in Omega-3 and Omega-6 can kill various blood borne parasites, which also promotes the idea that Omega rich foods, like Hemp Seed Oil, can prevent or reduce the risk of being infected with the malaria parasite”
Every year, over 250 million people contract malaria, resulting in approximately 600,000 deaths—many among young children in Sub-Saharan Africa. In response, IND HEMP and NHA highlight the potential of hemp seed oil’s potent Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, which can provide a two-fold advantage: directly suppressing parasite growth and mitigating inflammation that exacerbates severe malaria complications.
Pilot Programs and Community Engagement
The partnership is seeking to initiate pilot programs with partners in several African countries, aiming to advance the science so to rapidly supply hemp-based nutritional products—like hemp seed oil and protein-rich seed cake from the United States, while working to help establish farming and processing in Africa.
“We have had friends in Ghana for more than 15 years” Shares Julie Elliott, Co-Founder, IND HEMP, “and we were fortunate to welcome two college graduate engineers from there to intern with us in Montana and learn about industrial hemp as a crop and processing, so that they may take this knowledge back to their home farms and communities. Learning about the severity of Malaria when we visited them in Africa this year was eye opening and to see a pathway for the crop and food we produce and work with every day to potentially be beneficial for this motivates us to do something about it”
Building on Relationships in Africa
Over the past years, IND HEMP and NHA have both worked in various ways in Africa, building upon personal and professional relationships and establishing trusted partnerships. This groundwork paves the way to immediately execute a path forward to bring American hemp seed oil into Africa and distribute to communities in need. Additionally, it allows a pathway for shared knowledge and integration of hemp solutions into current agricultural frameworks, ensuring a sustainable, community-led path forward.
Geoff Whaling, NHA Chair, will be returning to Africa April 17-24, with support from USDA, and will be discussing this approach with African leaders in Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Ghana. “Industrial Hemp – fiber and grain – is more than a cash crop. It’s a catalyst for transformative change,” Whaling said. “By uniting with IND HEMP, we’re showcasing how hemp-based nutrition, including mechanically pressed hemp grain can improve health outcomes, stimulate local economies, and address an urgent global challenge. We’re excited to bring this conversation directly to leaders on the African continent.”
For more details on IND HEMP’s approach or partnership opportunities, visit indhemp.com/malaria-and-hemp-seed-oil/
About IND HEMP
IND HEMP is a Montana family business, Certified B Corporation and leading agricultural producer, processor and supplier of industrial hemp food / feed ingredients and natural fiber raw materials for a variety of industries and sustainable product applications, from healthy foods to natural fiber non-wovens for building materials, auto industry, hygienics and personal care applications. Learn more at www.indhemp.com.
About the National Hemp Association
The National Hemp Association is the largest grassroots advocacy organization dedicated to promoting the use and acceptance of industrial hemp. With a mission to support farmers and advance the hemp industry through advocacy, policy engagement, and education, NHA is committed to fostering a sustainable future through hemp innovation. Learn more at www.nationalhempassociation.org.
Attachments
- IND HEMP harvests hemp seed grain in Montana
- Hemp Seed Oil
CONTACT: Geoff Whaling National Hemp Association 202-706-3911 geoff@nationalhempassociation.org
