Growing Rice (Upland) in Kwale

Soil suitability analysis based on Kwale's nutrient profile

Kwale County is well suited to Rice (Upland), scoring 76/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 6.76 — neutral and inside the 5–7 band Rice (Upland) prefers, so no lime is usually required. The main gap is nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium — measured at N 0.93 g/kg, P 9.8 mg/kg, K 131 mg/kg against this crop's high/medium/medium demand — so the fertilizer plan below prioritises closing those deficits. Rice (Upland) prefers clay soils, while Kwale is largely sandy loam, so drainage and organic-matter management matter more here. At current prices (about KES 105/kg) and a typical 1,600 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Rice (Upland) crop here can gross roughly KES 168,000 per acre.