Growing Chickpeas in Makueni
Soil suitability analysis based on Makueni's nutrient profile
Generally not ideal — Makueni is poorly suited to Chickpeas. Makueni's soil (pH 7.5, alkaline) gives Chickpeas a suitability score of 33/100. Match fertilizer to Makueni's nitrogen and phosphorus levels for the best result.
Makueni County is a challenging environment for Chickpeas (soil-match score 33/100) and will need significant amendment before planting. Local soils average pH 7.5 — alkaline and inside the 5.5–8 band Chickpeas prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (0.86 g/kg), phosphorus (29.6 mg/kg) and potassium (351 mg/kg) all meet Chickpeas's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. The county's predominantly sandy loam soils suit Chickpeas, which favours sandy loam. At 1000 m, the county sits below Chickpeas's preferred altitude range (1500–2600 m), which limits yield potential due to heat stress. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Chickpeas is the #79 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Makueni County. Chickpeas's full potential is about 600 kg/acre (~KES 120,000/acre at KES 200/kg), but at Makueni's 33/100 suitability a realistic target here is closer to 248 kg/acre (~KES 49,600/acre) unless the constraints above are addressed.
Better matched to Makueni's soil: Lucerne, Mango, and Sisal — each scores higher on the same soil.
Soil & climate match
| Factor | Makueni soil | Chickpeas needs | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 7.5 | 5.5–8 | OK |
| Nitrogen | 0.86 g/kg | min 0.5 g/kg | OK |
| Phosphorus | 29.6 mg/kg | min 6 mg/kg | OK |
| Potassium | 351 mg/kg | min 100 mg/kg | OK |
| Rainfall | 600 mm | 150–500 mm | High |
| Altitude | 1,000 m | 1,500–2,600 m | Low |
Seed varieties for Makueni
9 chickpeas varieties are rated for Makueni's altitude (1,000 m) and rainfall (600 mm):
Economics
Fertilizer prices
Green = subsidized · (Commercial) per 50kg bag