Growing Chickpeas in Samburu
Soil suitability analysis based on Samburu's nutrient profile
Generally not ideal — Samburu is poorly suited to Chickpeas. Samburu's soil (pH 8.28, alkaline) gives Chickpeas a suitability score of 22/100. Match fertilizer to Samburu's nitrogen and phosphorus levels for the best result.
Samburu County is a challenging environment for Chickpeas (soil-match score 22/100) and will need significant amendment before planting. At an average pH of 8.28 the soil sits above Chickpeas's preferred 5.5–8 range, which can limit uptake of phosphorus and micronutrients. Nitrogen (0.67 g/kg), phosphorus (42.1 mg/kg) and potassium (387 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 900 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 #44 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Samburu County. Chickpeas's full potential is about 600 kg/acre (~KES 120,000/acre at KES 200/kg), but at Samburu's 22/100 suitability a realistic target here is closer to 165 kg/acre (~KES 33,000/acre) unless the constraints above are addressed.
Better matched to Samburu's soil: Sisal, Aloe Vera, and Green Grams — each scores higher on the same soil.
Soil & climate match
| Factor | Samburu soil | Chickpeas needs | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 8.28 | 5.5–8 | Adjust |
| Nitrogen | 0.67 g/kg | min 0.5 g/kg | OK |
| Phosphorus | 42.1 mg/kg | min 6 mg/kg | OK |
| Potassium | 387 mg/kg | min 100 mg/kg | OK |
| Rainfall | 350 mm | 150–500 mm | OK |
| Altitude | 900 m | 1,500–2,600 m | Low |
Recommended seed varieties
Economics
Fertilizer prices
Green = subsidized · (Commercial) per 50kg bag