Growing Yams in Kiambu

Soil suitability analysis based on Kiambu's nutrient profile

Kiambu County is a solid choice for Yams, with a soil-match score of 70/100. At an average pH of 5.28 the soil is moderately acidic, below Yams's preferred 5.5–6.5 range; agricultural lime will lift pH and unlock phosphorus the crop cannot otherwise access. The main gap is potassium — measured at N 1.01 g/kg, P 13.7 mg/kg, K 169 mg/kg against this crop's medium/medium/high demand — so the fertilizer plan below prioritises closing that deficit. Yams prefers sandy loam soils, while Kiambu is largely clay, so drainage and organic-matter management matter more here. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Yams is the #41 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Kiambu County. Yams's full potential is about 7,000 kg/acre (~KES 560,000/acre at KES 80/kg), but at Kiambu's 70/100 suitability a realistic target here is closer to 6,125 kg/acre (~KES 490,000/acre) unless the constraints above are addressed.