Growing Bambara Nuts in Taita Taveta

Soil suitability analysis based on Taita Taveta's nutrient profile

Taita Taveta County is well suited to Bambara Nuts, scoring 80/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. At an average pH of 6.64 the soil sits above Bambara Nuts's preferred 5–6.5 range, which can limit uptake of phosphorus and micronutrients. Nitrogen (0.97 g/kg), phosphorus (12.9 mg/kg) and potassium (104 mg/kg) all meet Bambara Nuts's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. Bambara Nuts prefers sandy soils, while Taita Taveta is largely loam, so drainage and organic-matter management matter more here. At current prices (about KES 150/kg) and a typical 300 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Bambara Nuts crop here can gross roughly KES 45,000 per acre.