A GRFC high-level roundtable demonstrates how systems thinking and finance can converge to deliver scalable, regenerative solutions.
On 21 April 2026, the Global Rethinking Finance Collaborative (GRFC), together with Incitāre Sri Lanka, will convene a high-level roundtable in Colombo on “Industrial Hemp: An Old Crop in a Modern Era.”
This is not simply a sector discussion. It is a systems intervention.
At its core, the roundtable will explore how a single, underutilised commodity can serve as a gateway to rethinking finance, policy, and implementation in a post-crisis context. Industrial hemp offers a compelling case: a multi-use crop with applications across agriculture, manufacturing, construction, and energy, and with the potential to anchor inclusive, regenerative value chains.
The discussion will bring together a carefully curated group of 20–25 participants representing government, multilateral institutions, finance, academia, and the private sector. Together, they will address a central challenge: how to move from fragmented opportunity to coordinated, investment-ready ecosystems.
Key areas of focus include:
- Enabling policy and regulatory frameworks;
- Investment models that align public purpose with private capital;
- Skills systems and enterprise development;
- Digitalisation and accountability in value chains; and
- Integrated approaches to climate resilience and economic inclusion.
The roundtable reflects the GRFC’s broader mission to bridge the persistent gap between dialogue and delivery. By combining foresight, finance, and partnerships, the GRFC works to unlock capital for high-impact initiatives that are too often overlooked due to outdated risk perceptions and structural barriers.
Importantly, this convening is designed as part of a continuum. Insights and priorities identified on 21 April will inform a public investment forum on 23 April, where concrete proposals from across Sri Lanka, the Indo-Pacific, and Africa will be presented.
Sri Lanka offers a unique proving ground for this approach. With the right alignment of policy, finance, and implementation, it is possible to demonstrate how inclusive, systems-based investment can deliver both economic and social returns at scale.