Growing Rice (Upland) in Homa Bay
Soil suitability analysis based on Homa Bay's nutrient profile
Yes — Homa Bay is well suited to Rice (Upland). Homa Bay's soil (pH 5.27, strongly acidic) gives Rice (Upland) a suitability score of 81/100. Apply agricultural lime before planting to unlock phosphorus and lift the score.
Homa Bay County is well suited to Rice (Upland), scoring 81/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 5.27 — moderately acidic and inside the 5–7 band Rice (Upland) prefers, so no lime is usually required. The main gap is nitrogen and potassium — measured at N 1.05 g/kg, P 13.8 mg/kg, K 147 mg/kg against this crop's high/medium/medium demand — so the fertilizer plan below prioritises closing those deficits. The county's predominantly clay loam soils suit Rice (Upland), which favours clay. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Rice (Upland) is the #13 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Homa Bay County. At current prices (about KES 105/kg) and a typical 1,800 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Rice (Upland) crop here can gross roughly KES 189,000 per acre.
Soil & climate match
| Factor | Homa Bay soil | Rice (Upland) needs | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 5.27 | 5–7 | OK |
| Nitrogen | 1.05 g/kg | min 1.2 g/kg | Low |
| Phosphorus | 13.8 mg/kg | min 12 mg/kg | OK |
| Potassium | 147 mg/kg | min 150 mg/kg | Low |
| Rainfall | 1,100 mm | 800–2,000 mm | OK |
| Altitude | 1,200 m | 0–1,300 m | OK |
Top dressing guide
Homa Bay's nitrogen (1.05 g/kg) is 88% of the 1.2 g/kg Rice (Upland) needs, so the standard 1 bag/acre is raised to 1.25. Split it across two applications to limit leaching.
Seed varieties for Homa Bay
Varieties suited to Homa Bay's 1,200 m altitude and 1,100 mm annual rainfall — 2 of 2 rice (upland) varieties we list.
Economics
Fertilizer prices
Green = subsidized · (Commercial) per 50kg bag