Growing Barley in Mombasa

Soil suitability analysis based on Mombasa's nutrient profile

Mombasa County is a challenging environment for Barley (soil-match score 0/100) and will need significant amendment before planting. Local soils average pH 6.24 — slightly acidic to near-neutral and inside the 6–7.5 band Barley prefers, so no lime is usually required. The main gap is phosphorus and potassium — measured at N 0.95 g/kg, P 8.4 mg/kg, K 136 mg/kg against this crop's medium/high/medium demand — so the fertilizer plan below prioritises closing those deficits. Barley prefers loam soils, while Mombasa is largely sandy, so drainage and organic-matter management matter more here. At 50 m, the county sits below Barley's preferred altitude range (2000–3000 m), which limits yield potential due to heat stress. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Barley is the #84 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Mombasa County. Barley's full potential is about 1,600 kg/acre (~KES 67,200/acre at KES 42/kg), but at Mombasa'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 Mombasa's soil: Finger Millet, Cashew Nuts, and Napier Grass — each scores higher on the same soil.