Growing Sweet Potato in Narok

Soil suitability analysis based on Narok's nutrient profile

Quick answer

Yes — Narok is well suited to Sweet Potato. Narok's soil (pH 6.13, slightly acidic) gives Sweet Potato a suitability score of 91/100. Match fertilizer to Narok's nitrogen and phosphorus levels for the best result.

Narok County is well suited to Sweet Potato, scoring 91/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 6.13 — slightly acidic to near-neutral and inside the 4.5–7 band Sweet Potato prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (1.63 g/kg), phosphorus (25.7 mg/kg) and potassium (234 mg/kg) all meet Sweet Potato's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. Sweet Potato prefers sandy loam soils, while Narok is largely clay loam, so drainage and organic-matter management matter more here. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Sweet Potato is the #25 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Narok County. At current prices (about KES 18/kg) and a typical 5,000 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Sweet Potato crop here can gross roughly KES 90,000 per acre.

91Suitability score

Soil & climate match

FactorNarok soilSweet Potato needsStatus
pH6.134.5–7OK
Nitrogen1.63 g/kgmin 0.5 g/kgOK
Phosphorus25.7 mg/kgmin 12 mg/kgOK
Potassium234 mg/kgmin 200 mg/kgOK
Rainfall800 mm600–1,800 mmOK
Altitude1,700 m0–2,200 mOK

Planting calendar for Narok

Long Rains· April–JuneMain season here

April
Vine Cutting Planting & Basal Fertilizer
May
Weeding & Vine Management
June
Harvesting & Storage

Short Rains· October–December

October
Vine Planting & Basal Fertilizer
November
Vine Trailing & Weeding
December
Harvesting

Dry Season· February–April

February
Irrigation & Vine Planting
March
Weeding
April
Harvesting & Vine Multiplication

Top dressing guide

Product
None
Timing
None required
Instruction
Sweet potatoes rarely need top dressing. Excess N promotes vines over tubers.
Bags per acre in Narok
0

Narok's nitrogen reads 1.63 g/kg, but the rate stays at zero: Sweet Potato is not top-dressed, for the crop-specific reason above.

Seed varieties for Narok

5 sweet potato varieties are rated for Narok's altitude (1,700 m) and rainfall (800 mm):

Kabode· Medium/DrylandKenspot 5· Medium/HighlandVitamu· Medium/HighlandKenspot-1· HighlandKenspot-3· Highland
Full variety details — maturity, yield & breeder →

Economics

Market priceKES 18/kg
Expected yield 5,000 kg/acre
Estimated revenueKES 90,000/acre

Preferred textureSandy Loam

Fertilizer prices

DAP
KES 3,500(6,500)
CAN
KES 2,875(5,700)
NPK 17:17:17
KES 3,275(5,600)
Urea
KES 3,500(5,500)
Lime
KES 1,500(1,800)

Green = subsidized · (Commercial) per 50kg bag