Growing Quinoa in Tana River

Soil suitability analysis based on Tana River's nutrient profile

Tana River County is a challenging environment for Quinoa (soil-match score 1/100) and will need significant amendment before planting. Local soils average pH 6.4 — slightly acidic to near-neutral and inside the 6–8.5 band Quinoa prefers, so no lime is usually required. The main gap is phosphorus and potassium — measured at N 1.04 g/kg, P 8.5 mg/kg, K 108 mg/kg against this crop's medium/medium/medium demand — so the fertilizer plan below prioritises closing those deficits. Quinoa prefers loam soils, while Tana River is largely sandy, so drainage and organic-matter management matter more here. At 200 m, the county sits below Quinoa's preferred altitude range (1500–3000 m), which limits yield potential due to heat stress. Quinoa's full potential is about 700 kg/acre (~KES 105,000/acre at KES 150/kg), but at Tana River's 1/100 suitability a realistic target here is closer to 9 kg/acre (~KES 1,350/acre) unless the constraints above are addressed.