Machel Emanuel PhD Book a consultation
Horticulturist · Breeder · Cannabis scientist

Dr. Machel Emanuel

From seed to standard: the science behind the Caribbean cannabis economy.

Senior Lecturer in the Department of Life Sciences at UWI Mona and Principal Investigator of the Life Science Cannabis Research Group, breeding tropical genetics, setting national standards and advising governments across the region.

Consultancy services Read Field Notes
Painted portrait of Dr. Machel Emanuel in academic regalia
Fig. 1 — M. A. Emanuel, PhD (Botany)
AS FEATURED IN
High Times Yahoo News Leaf Magazine TV6 Trinidad The Gleaner Skunk Global
151
Citations
Google Scholar, May 2025
25
Refereed publications
Journals & book chapters
37
Papers presented
4 continents
4
Governments advised
JA · DM · KN · AG
4.5M+
Field-film views
YouTube
PLATE 01 — HIS STORY

From the ackee tree to the regulated cannabis market.

A horticulturist by training, Dr. Emanuel began in the postharvest biology of Jamaica’s national fruit. His PhD at UWI Mona mapped how ackee (Blighia sapida) changes during ripening and storage, work that took him to the University of Florida as a Visiting Scholar.

Today he leads the Life Science Cannabis Research Group, studying tropical horticulture, quality assurance and reform policy for Cannabis sativa. He breeds equatorial genetics with the Humboldt Seed Company, hunts heirloom landraces with farmers from Antigua to St Vincent, and in 2026 released two cultivars with the Marley family.

2017
PhD, Botany
UWI Mona · ackee ripening & storage
2012
MSc, Plant Production & Protection
UWI Mona
2009
BSc, Zoology & Botany
UWI Mona
PLATE 02 — RESEARCH PROGRAMME

How does a tropical crop become a global industry?

R-01Breeding

Germplasm for the equator

Breeding, stabilizing and replicating Cannabis sativa genetics for tropical cultivation, and preserving heirloom Caribbean landraces.

Partner: Humboldt Seed Company
R-02Quality

Quality assurance & microbial limits

Pre- and postharvest systems that protect the value of medical cannabis, and contamination limits that make global trade possible.

Aspergillus · decontamination · potency
R-03Postharvest

Tropical fruit postharvest biology

The biochemistry of ripening and storage in ackee, mango, June plum, carambola and soursop: the root of his doctoral work.

Ackee · Blighia sapida
R-04Biocontrol

Biorationals & crop protection

Testing biopesticides and Terra Vera technology against pests and coffee leaf rust on Jamaican vegetable and coffee farms.

Callaloo · pak choy · coffee
R-05Policy

Reform & the regional economy

Designing regulated markets that deliver social justice, local ownership and export earnings for Caribbean states.

Third World Quarterly · IJDP
COLLABORATIONS Humboldt Seed Company · cultivar breeding The Marley family · breeding the Marley strains BioBizz Worldwide Organics · research grant Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · heirloom seed donation Institute of Jamaica · “Ganja” exhibit curator University of Florida · Visiting Scholar
For students · MSc, MPhil and PhD research projects in plant science and cannabis at UWI Mona.
Ask about supervision →
PLATE 03 — CONSULTANCIES

Consultancy services for governments, industry and investors.

Government & regulatory advisory

For ministries and cannabis licensing authorities

Legislation, licensing frameworks, cultivation codes and industry set-up, drawn from work in Jamaica, Dominica, St Kitts & Nevis and Antigua.

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Cultivar development

For seed companies and licensed growers

Breeding and stabilizing genetics suited to tropical latitudes, from landrace collection to cultivar release.

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Quality assurance & standards

For producers, labs and exporters

Microbial limits, potency testing, packaging and labelling: meeting national standards and opening export markets.

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Keynotes & training

For conferences, universities and grower networks

Talks and workshops on Caribbean cannabis reform, tropical horticulture and organic cultivation.

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TRACK RECORD

JM
Jamaica

Cannabis Taskforce, Ministry of Investment & Commerce

Appointed May 2026. Chaired the Product Development Sub-committee of the 2019 task force.

DM
Dominica

Technical Advisor Consultant

Appointed to help establish a regulated medical cannabis industry in the Commonwealth of Dominica.

KN
St Kitts & Nevis

Consultant, Medical Cannabis Authority

Technical advice on establishing the federation’s regulated industry.

AG
Antigua & Barbuda

Laboratory & industry support

30 certificates of analysis for the Medical Cannabis Authority; managed the Wadadli Cannabis Cup.

VC
St Vincent & the Grenadines

Seed relief after La Soufrière

Donated seed to the Medicinal Cannabis Authority after the 2021 eruption.

STANDARDS AUTHORED · BUREAU OF STANDARDS JAMAICA

From the field to the standards book.

DJS 347
Jamaican Standard Guide: packaging and labelling of consumer resin medical cannabis products
DJCP 6
Jamaican Code of Practice: processing and handling of cannabis for medical, scientific and therapeutic use
DJCP 7
Jamaican Code of Practice: cultivation of cannabis for medical, scientific and therapeutic use
Sacramental
Code of Practice for cultivation and postharvest handling of ganja for sacramental purposes
Import
Recommended guidelines for the importation of ganja into Jamaica
PLATE 04 — SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

Peer-reviewed work

A selection of 12 from his 25 refereed publications, filtered by field.

All publications on ResearchGate →
  1. 2026
    Cannabis extracts as modulators of bone mineralization and regenerative repair: evidence from a zebrafish model
    Smith A. G., Nembhard N., Stephenson S., Palmer W. S., Emanuel M. A., Ali M. · World Journal of Advanced Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences · Cannabis science
  2. 2024
    Assessing the use of an alternative solution for the microbial decontamination of cannabis production facilities
    Ozongwu C., Kaplan A., McGowan M., et al., Emanuel M. A., Lindo J. · Acta Horticulturae 1396 · Cannabis science
  3. 2023
    Terra Vera technology for suppression of coffee leaf rust (Hemileia vastatrix) in Brandon Hill, Jamaica
    Goodridge J. J., Ozongwu C., Emanuel M. A. · Horticulture International Journal · Crop protection
  4. 2022
    Towards social justice and economic empowerment? Exploring Jamaica’s progress with implementing cannabis law reform
    Klein A., Rychert M., Emanuel M. A. · Third World Quarterly · Policy & reform
  5. 2021
    Foreign investments in emerging cannabis markets: host-country perspectives from key stakeholders in Jamaica
    Rychert M., Emanuel M. A., Wilkins C. · Globalization and Health · Policy & reform
  6. 2021
    Efficacy of biorational insecticides in suppressing insect pest damage on callaloo and pak choy in Jamaica
    Emanuel M. A., McDonald N. D., Robinson D. · Horticulture International Journal · Crop protection
  7. 2020
    Issues in the establishment of a therapeutic cannabis market under Jamaica’s Dangerous Drugs Amendment Act 2015
    Rychert M., Emanuel M. A., Wilkins C. · International Journal of Drug Policy · Policy & reform
  8. 2020
    Comparing the vegetative growth stage of Cannabis sativa L. cultivars in Jamaica
    Emanuel M. A., Henry V. V., Robinson D. E. · International Journal of Plant Science and Horticulture · Cannabis science
  9. 2019
    Biochemical properties of tree-ripened and postharvest-ripened mango (Mangifera indica cv. East Indian)
    Blissett K. A., Emanuel M. A., Goldson Barnaby A. · International Journal of Fruit Science · Postharvest
  10. 2018
    Policy analysis and implications of establishing the Caribbean Cannabis Economy: lessons from Jamaica
    Emanuel M. A., Haughton A. Y., Knife K. A. · Drug and Alcohol Policy Today · Policy & reform
  11. 2018
    BreatheWay® modified-atmosphere technology for ackee (Blighia sapida) arils: effect of temperature on package O₂ and CO₂
    Emanuel M. A., Tennant P. F., Brecht J. K., Huber D. J. · Acta Horticulturae 1225 · Postharvest
  12. 2012
    Assessment and profiling of fatty acids in two ackee varieties during different ripening stages
    Emanuel M. A., Yahia E. M., Gutierrez-Orozco F., Benkeblia N. · Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture · Postharvest
Ganja & Culture
BOOK · FORTHCOMING
Ganja and Culture: Jamaica’s synonymous relationship with ganja
With C. Romaine · Quick American Publishing
Notify me at launch
PLATE 05 — THE BLOG

Field Notes

Plants, policy and the Caribbean cannabis economy.

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Where the landraces still grow: volcanic rainforest. Stock image.
Breeding

Developing the Caribbean Queen, a.k.a. Pure Sativa Strain

The Caribbean Queen cultivar allows traditional farmers to compete in the modern-day cannabis industry without the infrastructure required for cultivating temperate hybrid genetics. Genetics suited to one’s latitude provide the opportunity for more sustainable output with a lower carbon footprint.

Dr. Machel Emanuel · First published in Skunk Global · Read the article →
Field report
Growing ganja in Jamaica: a look at different cultivation regions
First published in High Times · 2024
Policy
Ganja vs. industrial hemp production in Jamaica
First published in The Gleaner · 2019
Economy
Making way for the Caribbean cannabis economy
With Prof. Andre Haughton · Da Vibes · 2017
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PLATE 06 — FIELD FILMS

The landrace hunts, watched more than 4.5 million times.

Watch on YouTube →
FEATURED FILM · ANTIGUA
Pure sativa landrace preservation and pheno hunt with the Rastafari church
2.4M views
Watch the film →
Rasta farmers growing sativa on an active volcano
1.9M views
The hunt for a lost Caribbean landrace sativa
240K views
Emerging regulated cannabis markets: ICBC 2026
Conference talk
PLATE 07 — SPEAKING

Keynotes, panels and symposia

37 papers presented across the Caribbean, the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia.

Aug 2026
Building the Future of Cannabis Regulation
Caribbean reform policy and the UN SDGs (invited) · University of Sint Maarten
2026
International Cannabis Business Conference
Emerging regulated cannabis markets · Berlin, Germany
Jul 2025
Dominica National Cannabis Symposium
Roles of a cannabis licensing authority · State House, Roseau
Jun 2025
Cannabis Genomics Conference
The nostalgic value of Caribbean heirloom genetics · Humboldt University, Berlin
Sep 2023
The Phenotype Megahunt
Breeding cannabis for equatorial production · Humboldt, California
2022
Society for Economic Botany & ISE Annual Conference
Keynote: traditional to commercial cannabis production · Kingston, Jamaica
Invite Dr. Emanuel to speak
PLATE 08 — CONTACT

Let’s grow something.

PRESS & SPEAKER KIT
CV, short bio and high-resolution photos: choose “Media & press kit” in the form.
OFFICE
Department of Life Sciences, UWI Mona, Kingston 7