Growing French Beans in Taita Taveta

Soil suitability analysis based on Taita Taveta's nutrient profile

Taita Taveta County is a challenging environment for French Beans (soil-match score 13/100) and will need significant amendment before planting. Local soils average pH 6.64 — neutral and inside the 5.8–7 band French Beans prefers, so no lime is usually required. The main gap is phosphorus and potassium — measured at N 0.97 g/kg, P 12.9 mg/kg, K 104 mg/kg against this crop's low/high/medium demand — so the fertilizer plan below prioritises closing those deficits. The county's predominantly loam soils suit French Beans, which favours loam. Taita Taveta receives approximately 500 mm/year — well below French Beans's minimum of 900 mm — so supplemental irrigation would be essential for this crop. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, French Beans is the #90 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Taita Taveta County. French Beans's full potential is about 3,500 kg/acre (~KES 280,000/acre at KES 80/kg), but at Taita Taveta's 13/100 suitability a realistic target here is closer to 569 kg/acre (~KES 45,520/acre) unless the constraints above are addressed.

Better matched to Taita Taveta's soil: Sorghum, Cowpeas, and Pigeon Peas — each scores higher on the same soil.