Growing Stevia in Mombasa

Soil suitability analysis based on Mombasa's nutrient profile

Mombasa County is a challenging environment for Stevia (soil-match score 1/100) 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 Stevia prefers, so no lime is usually required. The main gap is nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium — measured at N 0.95 g/kg, P 8.4 mg/kg, K 136 mg/kg against this crop's high/medium/medium demand — so the fertilizer plan below prioritises closing those deficits. Stevia prefers loam soils, while Mombasa is largely sandy, so drainage and organic-matter management matter more here. At 50 m, the county sits below Stevia's preferred altitude range (500–2000 m), which limits yield potential due to heat stress. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Stevia is the #69 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Mombasa County. Stevia's full potential is about 3,000 kg/acre (~KES 600,000/acre at KES 200/kg), but at Mombasa's 1/100 suitability a realistic target here is closer to 38 kg/acre (~KES 7,600/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.