Growing Napier Grass in West Pokot
Soil suitability analysis based on West Pokot's nutrient profile
West Pokot County is well suited to Napier Grass, scoring 90/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 6.04 — slightly acidic to near-neutral and inside the 5–8 band Napier Grass prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (1.67 g/kg), phosphorus (24.8 mg/kg) and potassium (211 mg/kg) all meet Napier Grass's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. The county's predominantly sandy loam soils suit Napier Grass, which favours loam. At current prices (about KES 5/kg) and a typical 15,000 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Napier Grass crop here can gross roughly KES 75,000 per acre.
Suitability score
Soil match analysis
| Nutrient | West Pokot soil | Napier Grass needs | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 6.04 | 5–8 | OK |
| Nitrogen | 1.67 g/kg | min 0.8 g/kg | OK |
| Phosphorus | 24.8 mg/kg | min 6 mg/kg | OK |
| Potassium | 211 mg/kg | min 150 mg/kg | OK |
Recommended seed varieties
Clone 13Medium/Highland
ICIPE/KALRO · 90-120 days · 200-300 tons/acre
Push-pull trap crop; high biomass; excellent fodder quality.
Kakamega 1Medium
KALRO · perennial days · 180-250 tons/acre
High dry matter yield; tolerant to head smut disease.
Economics
Market priceKES 5/kg
Expected yield15,000 kg/acre
Estimated revenueKES 75,000/acre
Preferred textureLoam
Fertilizer prices
DAP
KES 2,500(6,500)
CAN
KES 2,500(4,500)
NPK 17:17:17
KES 2,500(5,600)
Urea
KES 2,500(5,500)
Lime
KES 1,500(1,800)
Green = subsidized · (Commercial) per 50kg bag