Growing Beans in Kwale

Soil suitability analysis based on Kwale's nutrient profile

Quick answer

Yes — Kwale is well suited to Beans. Kwale's soil (pH 6.76, near-neutral) gives Beans a suitability score of 89/100. Match fertilizer to Kwale's nitrogen and phosphorus levels for the best result.

Kwale County is well suited to Beans, scoring 89/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 6.76 — neutral and inside the 6–7 band Beans prefers, so no lime is usually required. The main gap is phosphorus — measured at N 0.93 g/kg, P 9.8 mg/kg, K 131 mg/kg against this crop's low/medium/low demand — so the fertilizer plan below prioritises closing that deficit. The county's predominantly sandy loam soils suit Beans, which favours loam. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Beans is the #6 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Kwale County. At current prices (about KES 130/kg) and a typical 800 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Beans crop here can gross roughly KES 104,000 per acre.

89Suitability score

Soil & climate match

FactorKwale soilBeans needsStatus
pH6.766–7OK
Nitrogen0.93 g/kgmin 0.5 g/kgOK
Phosphorus9.8 mg/kgmin 12 mg/kgLow
Potassium131 mg/kgmin 100 mg/kgOK
Rainfall900 mm500–1,600 mmOK
Altitude200 m0–2,500 mOK

Planting calendar for Kwale

Long Rains· April–JuneMain season here

April
Sowing & Basal Fertilizer (DAP)
May
1st Weeding & Thinning
June
Flowering Stage & Pest Control

Short Rains· November–January

November
Sowing & Basal Fertilizer
December
1st Weeding & Thinning
January
Flowering Stage

Dry Season· February–April

February
Post-Harvest Storage
March
Land Resting
April
Seed Selection

Top dressing guide

Product
None
Timing
None required
Instruction
Beans fix their own Nitrogen. Do NOT apply CAN — it will reduce yield.
Bags per acre in Kwale
0

Kwale's nitrogen reads 0.93 g/kg, but the rate stays at zero: Beans is not top-dressed, for the crop-specific reason above.

Seed varieties for Kwale

Varieties suited to Kwale's 200 m altitude and 900 mm annual rainfall — 4 of 7 beans varieties we list.

KAT B1Dryland/Medium
KALRO · 60-65 days · 8-10 bags/acre
Yellow bean; highly tolerant to drought and heat.
KAT X56Dryland
KALRO · 65-70 days · 10-12 bags/acre
Red mottled; resistant to bean common mosaic virus.
NyotaDryland/Medium
KALRO · 65-70 days · 10-13 bags/acre
Navy bean type; iron-rich; KEPHIS certified; popular in export markets.
KAT X69Dryland
KALRO · 60-65 days · 8-11 bags/acre
Small red bean; heat tolerant; suited to semi-arid lowland conditions.

Economics

Market priceKES 130/kg
Expected yield 800 kg/acre
Estimated revenueKES 104,000/acre

Preferred textureLoam

Fertilizer prices

DAP
KES 3,500(6,500)
CAN
KES 2,875(5,700)
NPK 17:17:17
KES 3,275(5,600)
Urea
KES 3,500(5,500)
Lime
KES 1,500(1,800)

Green = subsidized · (Commercial) per 50kg bag