Growing Chickpeas in Mombasa
Soil suitability analysis based on Mombasa's nutrient profile
Generally not ideal — Mombasa is poorly suited to Chickpeas. Mombasa's soil (pH 6.24, slightly acidic) gives Chickpeas a suitability score of 0/100. Match fertilizer to Mombasa's nitrogen and phosphorus levels for the best result.
Mombasa County is a challenging environment for Chickpeas (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 5.5–8 band Chickpeas prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (0.95 g/kg), phosphorus (8.4 mg/kg) and potassium (136 mg/kg) all meet Chickpeas's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. The county's predominantly sandy soils suit Chickpeas, which favours sandy loam. At 50 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 #89 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Mombasa County. Chickpeas's full potential is about 600 kg/acre (~KES 120,000/acre at KES 200/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.
Soil & climate match
| Factor | Mombasa soil | Chickpeas needs | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 6.24 | 5.5–8 | OK |
| Nitrogen | 0.95 g/kg | min 0.5 g/kg | OK |
| Phosphorus | 8.4 mg/kg | min 6 mg/kg | OK |
| Potassium | 136 mg/kg | min 100 mg/kg | OK |
| Rainfall | 1,000 mm | 150–500 mm | High |
| Altitude | 50 m | 1,500–2,600 m | Low |
Seed varieties for Mombasa
3 chickpeas varieties are rated for Mombasa's altitude (50 m) and rainfall (1,000 mm):
Economics
Fertilizer prices
Green = subsidized · (Commercial) per 50kg bag