Growing Cowpeas in Kwale
Soil suitability analysis based on Kwale's nutrient profile
Yes — Kwale is well suited to Cowpeas. Kwale's soil (pH 6.76, near-neutral) gives Cowpeas a suitability score of 79/100. Match fertilizer to Kwale's nitrogen and phosphorus levels for the best result.
Kwale County is well suited to Cowpeas, scoring 79/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 6.76 — neutral and inside the 5–8 band Cowpeas prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (0.93 g/kg), phosphorus (9.8 mg/kg) and potassium (131 mg/kg) all meet Cowpeas's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. The county's predominantly sandy loam soils suit Cowpeas, which favours sandy. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Cowpeas is the #36 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Kwale County. At current prices (about KES 65/kg) and a typical 450 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Cowpeas crop here can gross roughly KES 29,250 per acre.
Soil & climate match
| Factor | Kwale soil | Cowpeas needs | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 6.76 | 5–8 | OK |
| Nitrogen | 0.93 g/kg | min 0.5 g/kg | OK |
| Phosphorus | 9.8 mg/kg | min 6 mg/kg | OK |
| Potassium | 131 mg/kg | min 100 mg/kg | OK |
| Rainfall | 900 mm | 250–700 mm | High |
| Altitude | 200 m | 0–1,800 m | OK |
Top dressing guide
Kwale's nitrogen reads 0.93 g/kg, but the rate stays at zero: Cowpeas 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 — 2 of 2 cowpeas varieties we list.
Economics
Fertilizer prices
Green = subsidized · (Commercial) per 50kg bag