Growing Lentils in Taita Taveta
Soil suitability analysis based on Taita Taveta's nutrient profile
Generally not ideal — Taita Taveta is poorly suited to Lentils. Taita Taveta's soil (pH 6.64, near-neutral) gives Lentils a suitability score of 31/100. Match fertilizer to Taita Taveta's nitrogen and phosphorus levels for the best result.
Taita Taveta County is a challenging environment for Lentils (soil-match score 31/100) and will need significant amendment before planting. Local soils average pH 6.64 — neutral and inside the 5.5–7.5 band Lentils prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (0.97 g/kg), phosphorus (12.9 mg/kg) and potassium (104 mg/kg) all meet Lentils's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. The county's predominantly loam soils suit Lentils, which favours sandy loam. At 700 m, the county sits below Lentils's preferred altitude range (1200–2400 m), which limits yield potential due to heat stress. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Lentils is the #68 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Taita Taveta County. Lentils's full potential is about 600 kg/acre (~KES 108,000/acre at KES 180/kg), but at Taita Taveta's 31/100 suitability a realistic target here is closer to 233 kg/acre (~KES 41,940/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.
Soil & climate match
| Factor | Taita Taveta soil | Lentils needs | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 6.64 | 5.5–7.5 | OK |
| Nitrogen | 0.97 g/kg | min 0.5 g/kg | OK |
| Phosphorus | 12.9 mg/kg | min 12 mg/kg | OK |
| Potassium | 104 mg/kg | min 100 mg/kg | OK |
| Rainfall | 500 mm | 350–800 mm | OK |
| Altitude | 700 m | 1,200–2,400 m | Low |
Recommended seed varieties
Economics
Fertilizer prices
Green = subsidized · (Commercial) per 50kg bag