Growing Sweet Potato in West Pokot
Soil suitability analysis based on West Pokot's nutrient profile
Yes — West Pokot is well suited to Sweet Potato. West Pokot's soil (pH 6.04, slightly acidic) gives Sweet Potato a suitability score of 92/100. Match fertilizer to West Pokot's nitrogen and phosphorus levels for the best result.
West Pokot County is well suited to Sweet Potato, scoring 92/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 6.04 — slightly acidic to near-neutral and inside the 4.5–7 band Sweet Potato prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (1.67 g/kg), phosphorus (24.8 mg/kg) and potassium (211 mg/kg) all meet Sweet Potato's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. The county's predominantly sandy loam soils suit Sweet Potato, which favours sandy loam. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Sweet Potato is the #15 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for West Pokot County. At current prices (about KES 18/kg) and a typical 5,000 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Sweet Potato crop here can gross roughly KES 90,000 per acre.
Soil & climate match
| Factor | West Pokot soil | Sweet Potato needs | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 6.04 | 4.5–7 | OK |
| Nitrogen | 1.67 g/kg | min 0.5 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 | 600–1,800 mm | OK |
| Altitude | 1,500 m | 0–2,200 m | OK |
Planting calendar for West Pokot
Long Rains· April–JuneMain season here
Short Rains· October–December
Dry Season· February–April
Top dressing guide
West Pokot's nitrogen reads 1.67 g/kg, but the rate stays at zero: Sweet Potato is not top-dressed, for the crop-specific reason above.
Seed varieties for West Pokot
Varieties suited to West Pokot's 1,500 m altitude and 1,000 mm annual rainfall — 3 of 5 sweet potato varieties we list.
Economics
Fertilizer prices
Green = subsidized · (Commercial) per 50kg bag