Growing Yams in Busia

Soil suitability analysis based on Busia's nutrient profile

Busia County is well suited to Yams, scoring 83/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. At an average pH of 5.29 the soil is moderately acidic, below Yams's preferred 5.5–6.5 range; agricultural lime will lift pH and unlock phosphorus the crop cannot otherwise access. The main gap is potassium — measured at N 0.91 g/kg, P 16.6 mg/kg, K 175 mg/kg against this crop's medium/medium/high demand — so the fertilizer plan below prioritises closing that deficit. Yams prefers sandy loam soils, while Busia is largely clay loam, so drainage and organic-matter management matter more here. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Yams is the #12 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Busia County. At current prices (about KES 80/kg) and a typical 7,000 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Yams crop here can gross roughly KES 560,000 per acre.