Marcel Masaga, Me, Surveying The Horizon

Hi everyone, my name is Marcel Masaga. I am a Kenyan who is a Deep Learning/Machine Learning/Artificial Intelligence Engineer who is passionate about agriculture. Specifically, I believe in the power of data and the internet, if properly harnessed, to improve the livelihoods of rural agrarian populations by creating opportunities to increase their incomes thereby lifting their standards of life.

I want to use my knowhow in both this areas, in my own little way, to create a model farm in Busia County, Kenya which can then be easily scaled across this part of the world (Africa) and in effect across the developing world where such challenges are in existence. This is where I come in with this Chia Superfood Seeds Project, and that is why I am appealing to you all to help me bring this pet project to fruition, to begin planting hopefully, with the advent of the 2019 long rains which should kick off in March and April.

A Little Background Information

Fig. 1: A Chia Strawberry-Banana Smoothie

Without much further ado allow me to flesh out my vision of bringing Chia Seeds Farming in Busia County, Kenya into this age, the age of the 4^th Industrial Revolution. First and foremost let’s start out with a little background information. Busia County is one amongst the 47 counties of Kenya with a population of 953,337 in 2017 of which 90.5% are rural dwellers and 9.5% are rural dwellers. Official Kenyan government statistics aver that Busia County is among the bottom 5 counties in the country in terms of wealth.

In a nutshell Busia ranks among the 5 poorest Counties in Kenya and the majority of the poorest households are headed by widowed women who more often than not, carry the additional burden of being HIV + . The main economic activity in Busia, as with much of Kenya, is farming with over 80% of the populace engaging in subsistence agriculture to earn a living. This Chia project hopes to increase the income of these vulnerable households whilst improving their nutritional profile through consuming this nutrient dense superfood.

Previous Cash Crops vs Chia Seeds

Chia Field Ploughing In Progress

Busia County boasts of over 1,000 square kilometers of arable land a veritable natural resource which if well exploited has the potential of dramatically transforming the population’s livelihood for the better. Previously, cotton, coffee, rice, sugarcane and tobacco were the regions cash crops of choice, but these agricultural enterprises collapsed one after another leaving the farmers to depend on maize as both their primary food and cash crop of choice.

The maize sector too has collapsed as most of Kenya’s maize is imported on the cheap from neighboring Uganda where the costs of production are 50% cheaper than in Kenya. The case for Chia as a viable alternative cash crop for the region is informed by the fact that not only is the best Chia in the world grown along the equator – Busia County falls dead smack in this region – but also the crop has been grown organically in trial farms across the county and the results are extremely promising. Most importantly the produce has a ready and robust market both locally and internationally.

Chia Seeds – Background Information

Chia is an edible seed of the Salvia Hispanica plant and it’s a member of the mint family. It is considered a superfood due to the high density of nutrients it contains. The plant is native to Guatemala in South Central America and it has been consumed for at least 5000 years by the Aztecs, having been touted for its high nutrient density, it was said that a soldier could sustain his energy on just a single spoonful of Chia, for a whole day.

Chia’s popularity is on the rise globally due to the fact that it caters perfectly well for the current, savvy, health conscious consumer. Its popularity has skyrocketed in the recent past (2009 to date) after the US and the European Union passed laws which permitted its use as a novel food. This in turn has led to the massive growth of the Chia market being witnessed currently.

Fig 2. Chia Seeds

Chia - Fastest Growing Commodity Markets Globally

The Chia seeds market is one of the fastest growing commodity markets, globally, and the Chia market is projected to reach USD 2.1 billion by 2022, registering a Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 40.62% during the 2017-2022 (the forecast period).

Chia's popularity is driven by among other things it's extremely high omega-3 fatty acid content. Consumer awareness of Omega-3 in the European Union is estimated at around 90%, but consumption is much lower, although it is expected to grow. In the United States awareness had reached 37% of the U.S. population in the year 2014.

The global market for omega-3 ingredients is expected to reach USD 7.49 billion in 2021, from a current value of around USD 3.70 billion. Europe currently accounts for more than 60% of the world’s consumption.

Fig. 3: A Blended Mango Chia Energy Drink

Chia’s Nutrient Profile

Chia has a slightly nutty taste and as such it can be easily incorporated into soups, pastries, yoghurt, smoothies, breakfast cereals, tortillas, energy bars, bread and so much more. Indeed, the European Union passed a law in 2009 which allowed for Chia’s incorporation in bread by up to 10%.

Chia is rich in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids (more than salmon, pound-for-pound), fiber, phosphorus, zinc, manganese, potassium, and antioxidants. Plus, it has substantial amounts of protein and calcium. Since Chia seeds soak up liquid, they add volume to foods like smoothies or oatmeal without piling on a ton of extra calories.

According to the USDA Food Composition Database Chia has the following nutrient values per 100 gram (3.5 Oz) serving.

Food Type	Quantity	Percentage of Daily Value
Energy	2030 KJ	Sufficient
Carbohydrates	20.4 grams	Sufficient
Dietary Fiber	34.4 grams	Sufficient
Saturates	3.8 grams	Sufficient
Omega-6 Fatty Acids	6.4 grams	Sufficient
Omega-3 Fatty Acids	18.5 grams	Sufficient
Protein	16.5 grams	Sufficient
Vitamin A, B1, B2, B3, B9, C, E		Sufficient
Minerals – Calcium, Iron	631 mg, 7.7 mg	63% and 59% respectively.
Magnesium, Manganese	335 mg, 2.72 mg	94% and 130% respectively.
Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc	860 mg, 407 mg and 4.6 mg	123%, 9% and 47% respectively.

Fig. 4: Chia Nutritional Values Table

A Summary of Chia’s Nutritional Value

1.Help weight loss by reducing food cravings by preventing some of the food that you eat from getting absorbed into your system. This blockage of calorie absorption makes them a great diet helper.

2.Feel fuller faster: They can also help your diet by making you feel full. This is because they absorb 10-20 times their weight in water, forming a bulky gel.

3.Hydration for athletes: They are also great for athletes because the "chia gel" can hydrate the body.

4.Reduce your blood pressure: There's evidence to suggest that Chia seeds can reduce blood pressure.

5.Omega-3: They are the richest plant source of Omega-3 (the vital fats that protect against inflammation—such as arthritis—and heart disease). In fact, they contain more Omega-3 than salmon!

6.Benefits for diabetes: Because chia seeds slow down how fast our bodies convert carbohydrates into simple sugars, studies indicate they can control blood sugar. This leads scientists to believe chia seeds may have great benefits for diabetics.

The Opportunity

Chia is a long day plant which can best be grown in tropical and subtropical regions within 15 latitudinal degrees of the equator. Kenya lies dead smack in the equator, with Western Kenya (Busia included) lying less than 1 degree from the equator. Already in Uganda Chia cultivation for export has been going on for the past 3 years, since 2016.

Uganda exports the finest Chia in the world and they export to the EU, notably Germany, Denmark, Italy, France and the UK. In 2017 they could only supply less than 30% of the market demand which clearly indicates that demand far outstrips supply. Busia (Western Kenya) shares the same geography and climate as Eastern Uganda where 90% of Uganda’s Chia is grown. It’s grown literally, right across the border.

In Kenya, farmers are yet to wake up to the potential of this plant and in Western Kenya (specifically in Busia and Bungoma Counties) as a whole, my research indicates that not even one farmer is growing Chia on any commercial scale. Chia exporters from the EU and to some extent the US have started looking at Kenya as a potential source for Chia. I intend to be a pioneer in this field, having done extensive market research on Chia and conversed with potential buyers.

Due to Busia County’s close proximity to Uganda, we intend to source quality seeds from Eastern Uganda (some 80 miles as the crow flies from Busia) which we will eventually plant and sell both for the local and export market, with more emphasis on the export market which is by far more lucrative.

Fig. 5: A Chia Plantation in Bloom

In the short and medium term, we intend to plant and process my Chia for sale locally and to exporters. In the long term we hope to be able to export directly to the key markets of the European Union and the United States of America. We are focused on getting there.

The Mechanics

The average yield per acre of Chia seeds is 250 kilograms and with proper planting and husbandry this yield can exceed 400 kilograms per acre. In this zone Chia takes 3 months to mature from sowing to harvest and with our bimodal rainfall pattern (two rainy seasons per year) Chia can be grown 2 to 3 times a year (rain fed) and up to 3 to 4 times with irrigation.

In Mexico and Central America Chia can only be grown once a year, that is a big advantage to Busia Chia Seed and by extension East African Chia farmers. Once Chia is established it can withstand drought and as such it can be grown throughout the year. This is in addition to the fact that Chia does not require expensive farm inputs like fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides to thrive makes it a choice crop for the region.

The Math

At an average of 300 kilograms per harvest, for 3 harvests per acre/ per year at $12(1200 Kshs) sold to local wholesale retailers. We have gross attainable margins of;

Attainable: 300kgs times 3 harvests times $ 12(1200 Kshs)@Kg = $ 10,800 (1,080,000 Kshs/Year/Acre)

Therefore, I strongly believe that with all things being constant, a net margin of $ 10, 000 (1,000,000 Kshs) per year/acre is realistically attainable in planting Chia in Busia (Western Kenya) in the short term.

This is in great contrast to the primary cash crops grown in Busia County (the 5^th poorest County of Kenya’s 47 Counties) where the average net profit a farmer gets for corn or sugarcane per acre/year is $ 400 (40,000 Kshs).

The Promise

Chia promises up to 25 times more income per farmer on the same land and resources, per year. We intend to set the example and inspire other farmers to do the same by multiplying and offering quality seed to farmers.

Chia seed farming will net up to 25X more dollars per acre/per year as compared to corn

Crop Type	Potential Earnings Per Acre Per Year
Corn/Sugarcane	$
Chia	$$$$$ $$$$$ $$$$$ $$$$$ $$$$$

In the long-run, we wish to train a couple of farmers – with emphasis on the vulnerable widowed HIV+ women with orphans to take care off - to do the same as we aggregate and pay for their Chia produce which we will then package, brand and sell (on-store and on-line) both locally and for export.

Chia Seed Farming Project Start Up Costs

The startup costs of USD $ 12, 250 for this entire enterprise can be broken down into three broad categories as follows:

ITEM	Costs in USD $
Planting to harvest – 10 acres	6,250
Equipment	3,500
Value Addition	2,500
TOTALS	12,250

• 1.Planting to Harvest

The total cost allocated to item one -planting and harvesting 10 acres- is USD $ 6,250. The startup costs per acre/ for year one of Chia Seed farming come to circa USD $ 550 which costs can be broken down to;

Fig. 6: Graphical Representation of Chia Planting Costs.

The highest cost is for quality seeds at 36% of the total - which fortunately is a one-off cost as we will select future seeds from the best of our harvest- thus significantly cutting down on the cost of subsequent plantings significantly.

The costs for planting to harvest have been pegged at USD $ 6,250 which should be sufficient for 10 – 13 acres.

In tabular form the percentage terms the costs for planting the chia as per the budget of USD $ 6,250

ITEM	As % Of Total Allocation (USD $ 6,250)
Quality Seed	36
Harvesting & Threshing	15
Land Rent	11
Tractor Breaking	7
Sowing	7
Weeding-1st	7
Weeding – 2nd	7
Tractor Harrowing	5
Transport Costs	4

• 2.Equipment

USD $ 3,500 has been set aside for the purchase of equipment specifically a multi-grain threshing machine. This imported machine will mechanize the process of threshing, sorting, cleaning and packing the chia seeds making for one single efficient post harvesting process. This piece of equipment is also a one – off purchase which we intend to source and import directly from China.

The beauty with this equipment is that it can be used to thresh all types of cereals and grains from corn, rice, sorghum, millet, chia, soybean, beans, sesame etc. Thus it will be useful across many farm ventures. And it will save both the time required and associated cost of manual stick threshing.

3.Value Addition

The third item of the project- value addition – is pegged at USD $ 2,500. This will cater for the following critical items;

1. Health Certifications ( Local and International)
2. Quality Standards Certifications (Local and International)
3. Purchase of Packaging Material.
4. Branding of the Product.
5. Marketing of the Chia ( Both On Offline and Online Media Through Ads)
6. Shipping Initial Samples To Interested Buyers (Export Charges).

555% Net Margins After The 1st of 3 Harvests Per Year

The Attainable Gross Margins is $ 10,800 (1,080,000 Kshs/Year/Acre) for 3 seasons. This translates to $ 3,600 (360,000 Kshs) for the first harvest per acre. Whereas the total initial planting input per acre is $550 (55,000 Kshs).

Thus the Net Profit is: USD $ 3,600 – USD $ 550 = USD 3,050 (which is a 555% Profit Margin!)

Conclusion and Appeal

The Chia Farm In Busia County, Kenya Ready For Ploughing

That is the scope of my vision in pioneering the growing of Chia both for local consumption and for export in Western Kenya, specifically in Busia County. This vision can be easily scaled across sub-Saharan Africa. It has the potential of changing the livelihoods and increasing the incomes of many an African farmer.

Your donation (of whatever amount) will go a long way in helping to realize this big dream, to transform the fortunes and also to have a positive and meaningful impact on the many long-suffering, small-scale farmers, in this region, and will be greatly appreciated. May Our Lord God bless you, in Jesus name.