Growing Cassava in Taita Taveta

Soil suitability analysis based on Taita Taveta's nutrient profile

Taita Taveta County is well suited to Cassava, scoring 78/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 6.64 — neutral and inside the 4.5–7 band Cassava prefers, so no lime is usually required. The main gap is potassium — measured at N 0.97 g/kg, P 12.9 mg/kg, K 104 mg/kg against this crop's low/low/medium demand — so the fertilizer plan below prioritises closing that deficit. Cassava prefers sandy soils, while Taita Taveta is largely loam, so drainage and organic-matter management matter more here. At current prices (about KES 15/kg) and a typical 6,000 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Cassava crop here can gross roughly KES 90,000 per acre.