Growing Sunflower in Elgeyo Marakwet

Soil suitability analysis based on Elgeyo Marakwet's nutrient profile

Elgeyo Marakwet County is well suited to Sunflower, scoring 78/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 6.27 — slightly acidic to near-neutral and inside the 6–7.5 band Sunflower prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (1.39 g/kg), phosphorus (22.2 mg/kg) and potassium (213 mg/kg) all meet Sunflower's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. Sunflower prefers sandy soils, while Elgeyo Marakwet is largely clay loam, so drainage and organic-matter management matter more here. At current prices (about KES 48/kg) and a typical 750 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Sunflower crop here can gross roughly KES 36,000 per acre.