Growing Stevia in Lamu
Soil suitability analysis based on Lamu's nutrient profile
Generally not ideal — Lamu is poorly suited to Stevia. Lamu's soil (pH 6.31, slightly acidic) gives Stevia a suitability score of 0/100. Match fertilizer to Lamu's nitrogen and phosphorus levels for the best result.
Lamu County is a challenging environment for Stevia (soil-match score 0/100) and will need significant amendment before planting. Local soils average pH 6.31 — slightly acidic to near-neutral and inside the 6–7.5 band Stevia prefers, so no lime is usually required. The main gap is nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium — measured at N 0.74 g/kg, P 9.6 mg/kg, K 117 mg/kg against this crop's high/medium/medium demand — so the fertilizer plan below prioritises closing those deficits. Stevia prefers loam soils, while Lamu is largely sandy, so drainage and organic-matter management matter more here. At 10 m, the county sits below Stevia's preferred altitude range (500–2000 m), which limits yield potential due to heat stress. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Stevia is the #106 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Lamu County. Stevia's full potential is about 3,000 kg/acre (~KES 600,000/acre at KES 200/kg), but at Lamu's 0/100 suitability a realistic target here is closer to 0 kg/acre (~KES 0/acre) unless the constraints above are addressed.
Better matched to Lamu's soil: Sesame (Simsim), Sorghum, and Cowpeas — each scores higher on the same soil.
Soil & climate match
| Factor | Lamu soil | Stevia needs | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 6.31 | 6–7.5 | OK |
| Nitrogen | 0.74 g/kg | min 1.2 g/kg | Low |
| Phosphorus | 9.6 mg/kg | min 12 mg/kg | Low |
| Potassium | 117 mg/kg | min 150 mg/kg | Low |
| Rainfall | 600 mm | 700–1,500 mm | Low |
| Altitude | 10 m | 500–2,000 m | Low |
Planting calendar for Lamu
Long Rains· April–JuneMain season here
Short Rains· November–January
Top dressing guide
Lamu's nitrogen (0.74 g/kg) is 62% of the 1.2 g/kg Stevia needs, so the standard 0.3 bags/acre is raised to 0.5. Split it across two applications to limit leaching.
Economics
Fertilizer prices
Green = subsidized · (Commercial) per 50kg bag