The Canary Islands have approved their first authorised medicinal cannabis cultivation project, marking what its developers believe could be the start of a new pharmaceutical and agricultural industry in the archipelago.

The project is based in Tenerife and operated by Nivaria Tech. It has received approval from the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products. The company says its facility combines advanced growing technology with a unique plant tracking system designed to monitor every stage of production, from cloning through to laboratory testing.

According to the company, the Canary Islands offer ideal natural conditions for growing medicinal cannabis. With around 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness for much of the year, combined with a mild climate, trade winds and high levels of sunshine, the islands allow plants to be grown using natural sunlight rather than artificial lighting.

Nivaria Tech says this approach could improve plant development while also reducing energy consumption. The company has also designed its operation so that growing and post-harvest processing take place at the same site, allowing up to six harvests each year.

The project has taken four years to develop and required a huge investment. The facility includes specialist air purification systems, advanced cold treatment technology to eliminate bacteria, and strict security measures including 24-hour armed guards, video surveillance and secure storage to meet European pharmaceutical manufacturing standards.

One of the company's most talked about innovations is its patented traceability software, which records every stage of a plant's lifecycle. This allows complete tracking of each crop from its origin through processing and laboratory analysis, helping ensure quality and compliance with pharmaceutical regulations.

Nivaria Tech believes the project could help create a new agro-industrial sector in the Canary Islands, combining agriculture with pharmaceutical manufacturing. The company hopes its success will encourage further investment and eventually attract other medicine manufacturers to establish operations in the islands.

Rather than seeking public subsidies, the company says it is calling for clear, flexible regulations that provide legal certainty for businesses. It believes the Canary Islands' climate, location and tax advantages could help position the region as an important centre for pharmaceutical production in the future.

For residents and visitors, the project will not affect recreational cannabis laws. It is focused solely on the regulated production of medicinal cannabis under strict pharmaceutical controls, with products destined for medical use rather than public sale.