Growing Yams in Meru

Soil suitability analysis based on Meru's nutrient profile

Meru County is well suited to Yams, scoring 76/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. At an average pH of 4.88 the soil is strongly acidic, below Yams's preferred 5.5–6.5 range; agricultural lime will lift pH and unlock phosphorus the crop cannot otherwise access. Nitrogen (1.22 g/kg), phosphorus (20.3 mg/kg) and potassium (218 mg/kg) all meet Yams's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. Yams prefers sandy loam soils, while Meru is largely clay loam, so drainage and organic-matter management matter more here. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Yams is the #14 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Meru County. At current prices (about KES 80/kg) and a typical 7,000 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Yams crop here can gross roughly KES 560,000 per acre.