Chickpeas farming guide — Kenya

Soil requirements, top counties, seed varieties, fertilizer plan & economics

Interested in starting or scaling chickpeas farming in Kenya? This comprehensive guide maps out the optimal soil requirements (such as target pH ranges), the most suitable counties for growing chickpeas, certified seed varieties, seasonal fertilizer guidelines, and a detailed per-acre production budget to set you up for a successful harvest.

Soil requirements

pH range
5.5–8
Nitrogen
low
Phosphorus
low
Potassium
low
Preferred texture: Sandy Loam

Optimizing soil and fertilizers for Chickpeas in Kenya

To achieve maximum yields when farming chickpeas in Kenya, managing soil suitability is crucial. This crop performs best within a soil pH range of 5.5 to 8. Soils that fall outside this range can lock out essential macro and micro-nutrients, leading to stunted growth or crop failure. For acidic soils, applying dolomitic or calcitic agricultural lime is recommended at least 30 days before planting to normalize acidity.

Fertilizer application should be calibrated based on the crop’s nutrient demands. Chickpeas has a low nitrogen requirement, low phosphorus requirement, and low potassium demand. Using certified seed varieties suited for your specific altitude and rainfall pattern, combined with a precise basal and top-dressing program (such as applying a balanced NPK compound), ensures high crop quality and protects your overall farm investment.

Best counties for Chickpeas

Challenging counties for Chickpeas

These counties may need soil amendments for Chickpeas

Certified seed varieties

EU-Chania Desi 1Dryland 600-1200m / Highland 1500-2500m
Egerton University · 75-100 days · 7-12 bags/acre
Drought tolerant; early maturing; erect growth suitable for combine harvesting.
Saina-K1 (ICCV 95423)Dryland 600-1200m / Highland 1500-2500m
KALRO · 75-120 days · 5-14 bags/acre
Large seeded Kabuli type; drought tolerant; grows well in black cotton soils.
Chania Desi 2Dryland 800-1200m / Highland 1500-2500m
Egerton University · 75-90 days · 5-14 bags/acre
Drought and heat tolerant; resistant to Fusarium wilt
Mwea 1Lowland/Medium 600-1200m
Simlaw Seeds · 90 days · 11-18 bags/acre
Highly resistant to Fusarium wilt; adapted to Mwea
Ahero 1Lowland/Medium 600-1500m
Simlaw Seeds · 90 days · 5-16 bags/acre
Resistant to Fusarium wilt; suited to Western Kenya

Economics

Market priceKES 200/kg
Expected yield500 kg/acre

Est. revenueKES 100,000/acre

Fertilizer prices

DAPKES 2,500
CANKES 2,500
NPK 17:17:17KES 2,500
UreaKES 2,500
LimeKES 1,500

Subsidized price / 50kg bag

Check your county for Chickpeas