Growing Sorghum in Marsabit

Soil suitability analysis based on Marsabit's nutrient profile

Marsabit County is a solid choice for Sorghum, with a soil-match score of 60/100. At an average pH of 8.22 the soil sits above Sorghum's preferred 5–8 range, which can limit uptake of phosphorus and micronutrients. Nitrogen (0.52 g/kg), phosphorus (37.3 mg/kg) and potassium (420 mg/kg) all meet Sorghum's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. Sorghum prefers clay soils, while Marsabit is largely sandy, so drainage and organic-matter management matter more here. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Sorghum is the #5 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Marsabit County. Sorghum's full potential is about 1,200 kg/acre (~KES 81,600/acre at KES 68/kg), but at Marsabit's 60/100 suitability a realistic target here is closer to 900 kg/acre (~KES 61,200/acre) unless the constraints above are addressed.