Growing Taro (Nduma) in Elgeyo Marakwet
Soil suitability analysis based on Elgeyo Marakwet's nutrient profile
Elgeyo Marakwet County is well suited to Taro (Nduma), scoring 92/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 6.27 — slightly acidic to near-neutral and inside the 5.5–6.5 band Taro (Nduma) prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (1.39 g/kg), phosphorus (22.2 mg/kg) and potassium (213 mg/kg) all meet Taro (Nduma)'s requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. The county's predominantly clay loam soils suit Taro (Nduma), which favours loam. At current prices (about KES 90/kg) and a typical 8,000 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Taro (Nduma) crop here can gross roughly KES 720,000 per acre.
Soil match analysis
| Nutrient | Elgeyo Marakwet soil | Taro (Nduma) needs | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 6.27 | 5.5–6.5 | OK |
| Nitrogen | 1.39 g/kg | min 0.8 g/kg | OK |
| Phosphorus | 22.2 mg/kg | min 12 mg/kg | OK |
| Potassium | 213 mg/kg | min 150 mg/kg | OK |
Recommended seed varieties
Economics
Fertilizer prices
Green = subsidized · (Commercial) per 50kg bag