Growing Groundnuts in Homa Bay
Soil suitability analysis based on Homa Bay's nutrient profile
Yes — Homa Bay is well suited to Groundnuts. Homa Bay's soil (pH 5.27, strongly acidic) gives Groundnuts a suitability score of 84/100. Apply agricultural lime before planting to unlock phosphorus and lift the score.
Homa Bay County is well suited to Groundnuts, scoring 84/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 5.27 — moderately acidic and inside the 5–7 band Groundnuts prefers, so no lime is usually required. The main gap is potassium — measured at N 1.05 g/kg, P 13.8 mg/kg, K 147 mg/kg against this crop's low/medium/medium demand — so the fertilizer plan below prioritises closing that deficit. Groundnuts prefers sandy soils, while Homa Bay is largely clay loam, so drainage and organic-matter management matter more here. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Groundnuts is the #8 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Homa Bay County. At current prices (about KES 90/kg) and a typical 500 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Groundnuts crop here can gross roughly KES 45,000 per acre.
Soil & climate match
| Factor | Homa Bay soil | Groundnuts needs | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 5.27 | 5–7 | OK |
| Nitrogen | 1.05 g/kg | min 0.5 g/kg | OK |
| Phosphorus | 13.8 mg/kg | min 12 mg/kg | OK |
| Potassium | 147 mg/kg | min 150 mg/kg | Low |
| Rainfall | 1,100 mm | 500–1,400 mm | OK |
| Altitude | 1,200 m | 0–1,800 m | OK |
Top dressing guide
Homa Bay's nitrogen reads 1.05 g/kg, but the rate stays at zero: Groundnuts is not top-dressed, for the crop-specific reason above.
Seed varieties for Homa Bay
Varieties suited to Homa Bay's 1,200 m altitude and 1,100 mm annual rainfall — 1 of 2 groundnuts varieties we list.
Economics
Fertilizer prices
Green = subsidized · (Commercial) per 50kg bag