Chia seeds demand goes up

Chia seeds have a ready market in Europe. Farmers in Uganda have been encouraged to grow more. Photo by Lominda Afedraru

What you need to know:

Chia seeds can be eaten whole, ground into flour, squeezed for oil or even prepared as a drink after they are soaked in warm water. There is a ready market in Denmark which imports more than 1400 tonnes of organic Chia seeds annually, writes Tom Brian Angurin

A non-governmental organisation is urgently looking for willing farmers from all parts of the country to grow chia crop amid rising demand of the products in both local and international markets.
According to Momentum Trust, a Danish organisation based in Kenya with its headquarters and working with small-scale farmers in Africa there are ready local and international markets prompting the need for more growers. “We already have about 2,000 farmers growing the crop in, Busia but because of the high demand sparked by the nutrition value of the seeds there is need for more production,” said Philip Odhiambo, the organisation’s manager.

“There is a ready market in Denmark which imports more than 1400 tonnes of organic chia seeds annually and we also sell to local companies. We always harvest between two to five tonnes of chia seeds which is not enough for export,” Odhiambo added. Nutritionists assert that chia seeds are good for boosting libido and they improve brain health.

They are also a good source of Omega-3, essential fatty acids which the body cannot produce. They are also rich in fibre, protein, vitamins and minerals. Small-scale farmers are encouraged to form groups within their areas in order to meet production demands. “Chia is a new crop among many farmers in the country with a potential of doing well and earn them sweet returns. This way we train our farmers giving them the required skills on best production practices to meet both local and international standards.” says Odhiambo.