Growing Cashew Nuts in Kajiado
Soil suitability analysis based on Kajiado's nutrient profile
Generally not ideal — Kajiado is poorly suited to Cashew Nuts. Kajiado's soil (pH 6.55, near-neutral) gives Cashew Nuts a suitability score of 9/100. Match fertilizer to Kajiado's nitrogen and phosphorus levels for the best result.
Kajiado County is a challenging environment for Cashew Nuts (soil-match score 9/100) and will need significant amendment before planting. Local soils average pH 6.55 — neutral and inside the 5–7.5 band Cashew Nuts prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (0.97 g/kg), phosphorus (20.6 mg/kg) and potassium (257 mg/kg) all meet Cashew Nuts's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. The county's predominantly sandy loam soils suit Cashew Nuts, which favours sandy. At 1300 m, the county sits above Cashew Nuts's preferred altitude ceiling of 500 m, where frost risk and cold nights reduce the crop's productivity. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Cashew Nuts is the #104 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Kajiado County. Cashew Nuts's full potential is about 900 kg/acre (~KES 247,500/acre at KES 275/kg), but at Kajiado's 9/100 suitability a realistic target here is closer to 101 kg/acre (~KES 27,775/acre) unless the constraints above are addressed.
Better matched to Kajiado's soil: Sorghum, Cowpeas, and Pigeon Peas — each scores higher on the same soil.
Soil & climate match
| Factor | Kajiado soil | Cashew Nuts needs | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 6.55 | 5–7.5 | OK |
| Nitrogen | 0.97 g/kg | min 0.5 g/kg | OK |
| Phosphorus | 20.6 mg/kg | min 6 mg/kg | OK |
| Potassium | 257 mg/kg | min 150 mg/kg | OK |
| Rainfall | 500 mm | 600–1,500 mm | Low |
| Altitude | 1,300 m | 0–500 m | High |
Planting calendar for Kajiado
Long Rains· March–May
Short Rains· October–DecemberMain season here
Dry Season· January–March
Top dressing guide
Kajiado's nitrogen (0.97 g/kg) already meets Cashew Nuts's 0.5 g/kg requirement, so this is a maintenance rate.
Seed varieties for Kajiado
Varieties suited to Kajiado's 1,300 m altitude and 500 mm annual rainfall — 1 of 2 cashew nuts varieties we list.
Economics
Fertilizer prices
Green = subsidized · (Commercial) per 50kg bag