Is Mandera good for growing Dolichos?

Mandera County scores 1/100 for Dolichos suitability (poor). Soil pH is 8.38 against a preferred 5–7.5, nitrogen 0.53 g/kg and phosphorus 38.3 mg/kg. County rainfall is 180 mm/year against Dolichos's 400–1000 mm range. Soil amendments or irrigation may be needed before planting Dolichos.

What fertilizer is best for Dolichos in Mandera?

Base the plan on Mandera's soil: pH 8.38 (apply lime to reach 5–7.5), nitrogen 0.53 g/kg and phosphorus 38.3 mg/kg. Get an exact bag-per-acre basal and top-dressing schedule free at https://shambaiq.com/app.

What soil pH does Dolichos need, and does Mandera have it?

Dolichos grows best at pH 5–7.5. Mandera averages pH 8.38, which is outside the ideal range and may need lime or sulphur.

How much can I earn from Dolichos per acre in Mandera?

At roughly KES 120/kg and an expected 600 kg/acre, gross revenue is about KES 72,000 per acre before input costs. Use the ShambaIQ budget tool for a net figure based on your fertilizer plan.

Growing Dolichos in Mandera

Soil suitability analysis based on Mandera's nutrient profile

Quick answer

Generally not ideal — Mandera is poorly suited to Dolichos. Mandera's soil (pH 8.38, alkaline) gives Dolichos a suitability score of 1/100. Match fertilizer to Mandera's nitrogen and phosphorus levels for the best result.

Mandera County is a challenging environment for Dolichos (soil-match score 1/100) and will need significant amendment before planting. At an average pH of 8.38 the soil sits above Dolichos's preferred 5–7.5 range, which can limit uptake of phosphorus and micronutrients. Nitrogen (0.53 g/kg), phosphorus (38.3 mg/kg) and potassium (420 mg/kg) all meet Dolichos's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. The county's predominantly sandy soils suit Dolichos, which favours sandy loam. Mandera receives approximately 180 mm/year — well below Dolichos's minimum of 400 mm — so supplemental irrigation would be essential for this crop. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Dolichos is the #65 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Mandera County. Dolichos's full potential is about 600 kg/acre (~KES 72,000/acre at KES 120/kg), but at Mandera's 1/100 suitability a realistic target here is closer to 8 kg/acre (~KES 960/acre) unless the constraints above are addressed.

Better matched to Mandera's soil: Sisal, Aloe Vera, and Green Grams — each scores higher on the same soil.

Suitability score

Soil & climate match

Factor	Mandera soil	Dolichos needs	Status
pH	8.38	5–7.5	Adjust
Nitrogen	0.53 g/kg	min 0.5 g/kg	OK
Phosphorus	38.3 mg/kg	min 6 mg/kg	OK
Potassium	420 mg/kg	min 100 mg/kg	OK
Rainfall	180 mm	400–1,000 mm	Low
Altitude	250 m	1,000–2,100 m	Low

Planting calendar for Mandera

Long Rains· March–May

March

Sowing & DAP Basal Fertilizer (NO CAN — nitrogen fixer)

April

Weeding & Vine Support if needed

May

Pod Fill & Harvesting

Short Rains· October–DecemberMain season here

October

Sowing & Basal Fertilizer (no CAN)

November

Weeding & Pest Scouting

December

Harvesting & Seed Drying

Dry Season· January–March

January

Post-Harvest seed storage

February

Land Resting (N benefit remains in soil)

March

Seed Selection & preparation

Top dressing guide

Product

None

Timing

None required

Instruction

Dolichos (njahi) fixes its own nitrogen through rhizobia. Do NOT apply CAN — it suppresses nodulation and reduces yield. A starter dose of phosphorus at planting is enough.

Bags per acre in Mandera

Mandera's nitrogen reads 0.53 g/kg, but the rate stays at zero: Dolichos is not top-dressed, for the crop-specific reason above.

Seed varieties for Mandera

Varieties suited to Mandera's 250 m altitude and 180 mm annual rainfall — 4 of 6 dolichos varieties we list.

DL 1002Dryland/Medium

KALRO · 90-110 days · 7-11 bags/acre

Improved dual-purpose lablab; grain and fodder; tolerant to drought and low fertility.

ELDO-KT Black 1Medium/Highland 10-2000m

University of Eldoret · 135-150 days · 14-22 bags/acre

Black seeded; short cooking time; uniform maturity.

ELDO-KT CreamMedium/Highland 10-2000m

University of Eldoret · 120-135 days · 16-25 bags/acre

Cream seeded; early maturity; good flavor; short cooking time.

ELDO-KT Black 2Medium/Highland 10-2000m

University of Eldoret · 120-135 days · 16-29 bags/acre

Black seeded; medium maturity; robust growth.

Economics

Market priceKES 120/kg

Expected yield in Mandera8 kg/acre

Estimated revenueKES 960/acre

Adjusted for Mandera's 1/100 suitability. Under ideal conditions Dolichos can reach 600 kg/acre (~KES 72,000/acre) — attainable here only after the climate and soil constraints below are addressed.

Preferred textureSandy Loam

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

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