Growing Pigeon Peas in Taita Taveta
Soil suitability analysis based on Taita Taveta's nutrient profile
Yes — Taita Taveta is well suited to Pigeon Peas. Taita Taveta's soil (pH 6.64, near-neutral) gives Pigeon Peas a suitability score of 92/100. Match fertilizer to Taita Taveta's nitrogen and phosphorus levels for the best result.
Taita Taveta County is well suited to Pigeon Peas, scoring 92/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 6.64 — neutral and inside the 5–8 band Pigeon Peas prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (0.97 g/kg), phosphorus (12.9 mg/kg) and potassium (104 mg/kg) all meet Pigeon Peas's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. Pigeon Peas prefers sandy soils, while Taita Taveta is largely loam, so drainage and organic-matter management matter more here. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Pigeon Peas is the #3 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Taita Taveta County. At current prices (about KES 75/kg) and a typical 600 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Pigeon Peas crop here can gross roughly KES 45,000 per acre.
Soil & climate match
| Factor | Taita Taveta soil | Pigeon Peas needs | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 6.64 | 5–8 | OK |
| Nitrogen | 0.97 g/kg | min 0.5 g/kg | OK |
| Phosphorus | 12.9 mg/kg | min 6 mg/kg | OK |
| Potassium | 104 mg/kg | min 100 mg/kg | OK |
| Rainfall | 500 mm | 400–900 mm | OK |
| Altitude | 700 m | 0–1,800 m | OK |
Top dressing guide
Taita Taveta's nitrogen reads 0.97 g/kg, but the rate stays at zero: Pigeon Peas is not top-dressed, for the crop-specific reason above.
Seed varieties for Taita Taveta
Varieties suited to Taita Taveta's 700 m altitude and 500 mm annual rainfall — 2 of 2 pigeon peas varieties we list.
Economics
Fertilizer prices
Green = subsidized · (Commercial) per 50kg bag