Growing Groundnuts in Vihiga

Soil suitability analysis based on Vihiga's nutrient profile

Vihiga County is well suited to Groundnuts, scoring 77/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 5.62 — slightly acidic to near-neutral and inside the 5–7 band Groundnuts prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (1.02 g/kg), phosphorus (14.8 mg/kg) and potassium (164 mg/kg) all meet Groundnuts's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. Groundnuts prefers sandy soils, while Vihiga is largely clay loam, so drainage and organic-matter management matter more here. At current prices (about KES 90/kg) and a typical 500 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Groundnuts crop here can gross roughly KES 45,000 per acre.