Growing Pawpaw in West Pokot
Soil suitability analysis based on West Pokot's nutrient profile
Possible but challenging — West Pokot is only marginally suited to Pawpaw. West Pokot's soil (pH 6.04, slightly acidic) gives Pawpaw a suitability score of 54/100. Match fertilizer to West Pokot's nitrogen and phosphorus levels for the best result.
Pawpaw can be grown in West Pokot County, but the soil scores 54/100 and needs targeted management to reach full potential. Local soils average pH 6.04 — slightly acidic to near-neutral and inside the 6–7.5 band Pawpaw prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (1.67 g/kg), phosphorus (24.8 mg/kg) and potassium (211 mg/kg) all meet Pawpaw's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. The county's predominantly sandy loam soils suit Pawpaw, which favours sandy loam. At 1500 m, the county sits above Pawpaw's preferred altitude ceiling of 1200 m, where frost risk and cold nights reduce the crop's productivity. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Pawpaw is the #99 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for West Pokot County. Pawpaw's full potential is about 12,000 kg/acre (~KES 336,000/acre at KES 28/kg), but at West Pokot's 54/100 suitability a realistic target here is closer to 8,100 kg/acre (~KES 226,800/acre) unless the constraints above are addressed.
Better matched to West Pokot's soil: Kale (Sukuma Wiki), Finger Millet, and Groundnuts — each scores higher on the same soil.
Soil & climate match
| Factor | West Pokot soil | Pawpaw needs | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 6.04 | 6–7.5 | OK |
| Nitrogen | 1.67 g/kg | min 1.2 g/kg | OK |
| Phosphorus | 24.8 mg/kg | min 12 mg/kg | OK |
| Potassium | 211 mg/kg | min 200 mg/kg | OK |
| Rainfall | 1,000 mm | 600–1,500 mm | OK |
| Altitude | 1,500 m | 0–1,200 m | High |
Top dressing guide
West Pokot's nitrogen (1.67 g/kg) already meets Pawpaw's 1.2 g/kg requirement, so this is a maintenance rate.
Seed varieties for West Pokot
Varieties suited to West Pokot's 1,500 m altitude and 1,000 mm annual rainfall — 2 of 2 pawpaw varieties we list.
Economics
Fertilizer prices
Green = subsidized · (Commercial) per 50kg bag