Growing Cowpeas in Nyandarua

Soil suitability analysis based on Nyandarua's nutrient profile

Nyandarua County is a challenging environment for Cowpeas (soil-match score 33/100) and will need significant amendment before planting. Local soils average pH 5.38 — moderately acidic and inside the 5–8 band Cowpeas prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (1.28 g/kg), phosphorus (14 mg/kg) and potassium (166 mg/kg) all meet Cowpeas's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. Cowpeas prefers sandy soils, while Nyandarua is largely clay, so drainage and organic-matter management matter more here. At 2300 m, the county sits above Cowpeas's preferred altitude ceiling of 1800 m, where frost risk and cold nights reduce the crop's productivity. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Cowpeas is the #88 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Nyandarua County. Cowpeas's full potential is about 450 kg/acre (~KES 29,250/acre at KES 65/kg), but at Nyandarua's 33/100 suitability a realistic target here is closer to 186 kg/acre (~KES 12,090/acre) unless the constraints above are addressed.

Better matched to Nyandarua's soil: Tea, Pyrethrum, and Potato — each scores higher on the same soil.