Kericho County

FARM MANAGEMENT HANDBOOK OF KENYA

VOL. II

– Natural Conditions and Farm Management Information –

ANNEX:

– Atlas of Agro - Ecological Zones, Soils and Fertilisingby Group of Districts –

Subpart B1aSouthern

Rift Valley Province

K e r i c h o C o u n t y

This project was supported by the German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ)

Farm Management Handbook of Kenya

VOL. I Labour Requirement, Availability and Costs of Mechanisation

VOL. II Natural Conditions and Farm Management Information Part II/A WEST KENYA Subpart A1 Western ProvinceSubpart A2 Nyanza Province

Part II/B CENTRAL KENYASubparts B la/b Rift Valley Province, Northern (except Turkana) and Southern PartSubpart B2 Central Province

Part II /C EAST KENYASubpart C1 Eastern Province, Middle and Southern PartSubpart C2 Coast Province

VOL. III Farm Management Information - Annual Publications were planned. The idea changed to Farm Managament Guidelines, produced by the District Agricultural Offices annually and delivered to the Ministry in April every year.

VOL. IV Production Techniques and Economics of Smallholder Livestock Production Systems

VOL. V Horticultural Production Guidelines

Publisher: Ministry of Agriculture, Kenya, in Cooperation with the German Agency for TechnicalCooperation (GTZ)

VOL. II is supplemented by CD-ROMs with the information and maps in a GeographicalInformation System. Additionally there will be wall maps of the Agro-Ecological Zones per district group (= the former large districts) for offices and schools.

Layout by Ruben Kempf and Mike Teucher, Trier, Germany.

Ministry of Agriculture

FARM MANAGEMENT HANDBOOK OF KENYAVOL. II

Annex:

- Atlas of Agro - Ecological Zones, Soils and Fertilising by Group of Districts in Southern Rift Valley -

Subpart B1a

KerichoCounty

by

Dr. Ralph JaetzoldProf. emeritus of Geography,University of Trier / Germany

Helmut SchmidtFormer Farm Management Research Officer

from the former German Agricultural Team of the GTZin the Ministry of Agriculture, Nairobi

Dr. Berthold HornetzProf. of Agricultural Geography,University of Trier / Germany

Dr. Chris ShisanyaProf. of Agroclimatology,

Dept. of GeographyKenyatta University, Nairobi

Contributions to the 1st Edition by: C.M. Kang´e & J.G.M. Muasya – assessment of farm management data; Dr. Mechthild Kronen – soil requirements list; Prof. Dr. H. Kutsch – computing of crop-water relations for yield prob-abilities; F.N. Muchena, B.J.A. van der Pouw, W. Siderius and W.G. Sombroek – basic soil maps; H. Ritz – district climate tables; R. Swoboda – execution of Small Farm Survey; C.G. Wenner & S.N. Njoroge – soil conservation; W. Zettelmeyer – computing farm data.Additional Contributions to the 2nd Edition by: Dr. J. Ahenda & P. M. Maluku, KEPHIS; G. Awinyo (GTZ) – as-sisting R. J. & digitizing of soil maps into GIS; Th. Buettel – support by analyzing remote sensing data; M. Fiebiger – rainfall data analysis, probability calculations, yield probabilities by simulation programs; B. Girkens - final comput-erized drawing of maps in GIS and other maps; Heike Hoeffler – project coordination in GTZ Nairobi; Ph. Karuri – assistance in the Farm Survey; Anna Kaufhold - final computerized drawing of fertiliser maps; Ruben Kempf – typing and layout; Elizabeth Kimenyi & Anne Njoroge – coordination of farm survey; Z. Mairura, Ass. Dir. of Farm Busi-ness Subdivision; S. N. Maobe (KARI); N. M. Maweu (KARI); Susanne Meissner - water availability & requirement diagrams, typing; M. Mueller – calculation and diagrams of growing periods, ENSO influence; Dr. Anne W. Muriuki & J.N. Qureshi – soil and fertiliser recommendation maps and information; Francis Muthami (GTZ); Dr. Dorothy Mutisya and Dr. J Ochieng – crops and fodder list; Birgit Schmidt – basics for maintaining and regaining soil fertil-ity; Joshua Shivachi & Ch. R. Wambongo– analysing the Farm Survey data using SPSS software; M. Teucher - final computerized drawing of soil and fertilizer maps; Dr. Lusike Wasilwa – horticult. part of the crop list; J. Wieczorek – computerization of maps in GIS; tables and diagrams.

PREFACE TO THE ATLASThe internet and CD versions of the handbook have technically a reduction of details:The most important information, the maps, are due to reduction of the 24 MB to the CD-size of 6 MB, not well readable (esp. formulas of the AEZ Subzones and of the soils). Therefore we prepared additional Atlas-CDs for each group of districts, containing the maps of Rainfall, Agro - Ecol. Zones and Subzones, Soils, anhd Fertilizer Recommendations together with the legends.These maps are produced as pdf-files and can be zoomed for easy reading.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTfor the Support to the First EditionIn compiling this Handbook, we have relied on the support of many officers from a variety of institutions too numerous to mention, who made available their data and experience. We would like to thank them for their invaluable assistance.I would also like to thank my colleagues, the Research Officers, the District Land and Farm management Officers, for their cooperation, and a special thank you to those who typed the draft edition.Our particular thanks go to Prof. Dr. Ralph Jaetzold, University of Trier, for his selfless support in compil-ing this handbook and for his assessment of the natural conditions including land and population. His deep understanding of the needs of agricultural extension officers and farmers was a great asset. Our thanks also to Dr. H. Kutsch, University of Trier, who computerized a large and complex amount of information involved in establishing the AEZs.Many thanks also to the staff of the Geographical Department of the University of Trier, Germany, for their major effort in drawing up maps of outstanding quality, the centrepiece of the work.

Helmut SchmidtFarm Management Research OfficerNairobi, May 1982

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTfor the Support to the Second EditionIn revising this Handbook, various personalities and institutions were relied upon to provide the necessary data required to update the previous data sets. In this regard, we would like to sincerely thank them for their invaluable input in the exercise.Special thanks go to the Ministry of Agriculture staff who undertook the Farm Surveys to elucidate on the fundamental changes that have taken place in farming at the household level.We are indeed very grateful to the people of Germany, who despite their limited financial resources, have continued to support Kenya. Of importance here is the German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ) and the German scientists who have been working for Kenya over the years. Last but not least, thanks to Mr. Reimund Hoffmann, the PSDA Coordinator, Nairobi, whose office ably managed the Handbook revision project.

Prof. Dr. Chris Shisanya Elizabeth KimenyiProfessor of Agroclimatology Assistant Director of AgricultureDept. of Geography FMD, MOAKenyatta University, Nairobi KenyaNairobi, January 2009 Nairobi, January 2009

We want to thank very much also Mr. Zachariah Mairura, Deputy Dir. of Agri-Business Dep., for his en-gaged support of our inquiries in the districts 2009 and 2010.

Prof. em. Dr. Ralph Jaetzold Prof. Dr. Berthold HornetzRetired Professor of Geography Professor of Agricultural GeographyUniversity of Trier, October 2010 University of Trier, October 2010

PREFACE to the Second Edition

Institutional memory is of paramount importance for planning and development. For any research or agri-cultural extension to be successful, information on the natural farming potential is equally important.

In an effort to consolidate research - extension work of many years, the first edition of the Farm Manage-ment Handbook (FMHB) of Kenya Vol II (Natural conditions and farm management information), which described the conditions of the Kenyan farming community at that time, was produced in 1982/83. The handbook was in three parts i.e.:

A – for Western Kenya (Western and Nyanza provinces) B – for Central Kenya (Central and Rift Valley provinces). C – for Eastern Kenya (Eastern and Coast provinces)

For more than two decades, the handbook has proved very valuable to researchers, planners, extensionists, developers etc. This is a document that has been sought for enormously and hence the need to revise it in order to accommodate the changes that have taken place in our country since the production of the first edition. Some of these include: changes in the administrative boundaries, opening up of new farming areas due to population pressure, etc.

This second edition has been produced on the basis of Provincial administrative boundaries for the six Provinces i.e. Western, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Central, Eastern and Coast. The information will be availed in hard copies and in CD – ROMS to facilitate updating any future changes.

It is not possible to acknowledge the contribution of all the individuals who made this edition a reality but I need to mention the following individuals:

Thanks to the Ministry of Agriculture officers, especially the Farm Management Division officers at the headquarters (Mrs. E.W. Kimenyi, Mr. F.N. Nderitu, Mrs. H.W. Njoroge, Mrs. A.W. Njoroge, Mrs. A. W. Wanyama, Mr. P.T. Karuri and most engaged Mr. Z. Mairura), and the District staff, for their selfless contribution; Prof. Dr. Chris Shisanya, leader of the revision team, for his tireless efforts and guidance; Prof. em. Dr. Ralph Jaetzold for his enormous knowledge on the definition of the agroecological zones and his great contribution to their mapping; George Awinyo (German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) – Private Sector Development in Agriculture (PSDA)) for his expertise and contribution in the area of Geographical Information Systems (GIS).

I also wish to thank the GTZ who have facilitated the production of this edition both financially and by the use of their personnel, specifically the late Prof. Werner van der Ohe who supported the idea of the revision, and Mr. Reimund Hoffmann (GTZ – Team Leader Private Sector Development in Agriculture PSDA), for supporting and taking up the task to completion.

Dr. Wilson Songa, OGW AGRICULTURAL SECRETARY Nairobi, January 2009

KERICHO GROUP 1

3.4 KERICHO GROUP OF DISTRICTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS District Page

3.4.1 Natural Potential (R. Jaetzold et al.) 4Introduction 4Annual Rainfall Map (R. J.) 5Table 1: Rainfall Figures 6Seasonal Rainfall Maps (R. J.) 8Table 2: Temperature 10Table 3: Climate in the Agro-Ecological-Zones 11Agro-Humid Periods Map (R.J.) 12Agro-Ecological Zones Map (R. J.) 13Agro-Ecological Zones Map and Subzones - Introduction 14Agro-Ecological Zones and Subzones (= Legend to the AEZ Map), with Land UsePotentials and Water Availability & Requirement Diagrams (R. J. & B. Hornetz) 15Soil Map (R. Jaetzold & KSS) 22Soil Distribution, Fertility and Major Characteristics (B. Hornetz & W. Siderius) 23Legend to the Soil Map (R. Jaetzold & KSS) 23

3.2.2 Population and Land (C. A. Shisanya, R. Jaetzold, B. Girkens & C. Bureau of Statistics) see the big Vol. B1a

3.2.3 Agricultural Statistics (R. Jaetzold & Min. of Agriculture.) see the big Vol. B1a

3.4.4 Farm Survey (Min. of Agriculture & Chr. Shisanya) 30Table 25: Farm Survey Sites Representative of the Dominating Agro-Ecological Subzones and Units 31Farm Survey Areas Map (R. Jaetzold) 32

3.2.5 Introduction to the Actual Land Use Systems and to the Potential Intensificationby Better Farm Management in Typical Agro-Ecological Subzones(Min. of Agr., C. A. Shisanya & R. Jaetzold) 33

Kericho, Kericho West & Kipkelion DistrictsLH 1 p or two of the Tea - Dairy Zone 34Table 28a: Increase of Yields by Better Farm Management 35LH 2 vl i or two of the Wheat/Maize - Pyrethrum Zone 36Table 28b: Increase of Yields by Better Farm Management 37LM 2 vl i or two of the Marginal Sugarcane Zone 38Table 28c: Increase of Yields by Better Farm Management 39Bureti and Konoin DistrictLH 1 p or two of the Tea - Dairy Zone 40Table 29a: Increase of Yields by Better Farm Management 41UM 1 p or two of the Coffee - Tea Zone 42

KERICHO GROUP 2

Table 29b: Increase of Yields by Better Farm Management 43Bomet, Chepalungu & Sotik DistrictLH 2 vl i or two of the Wheat/Maize-Pyrethrum Zone 44Table 30a: Increase of Yields by Better Farm Management 45UM 3 m/l^(M/s) i of the Marginal Coffee Zone 46Table 30b: Increase of Yields by Better Farm Management 47UM 4m i^f(s) of the Wheat-Sunflower Zone 48Table 30c: Increase of Yields by Better Farm Management 49

3.4.6 Fertiliser and Manure Recommendations for Important Agro-Ecological Units 50Introduction (B. Hornetz) 50Map of Important Agro-Ecological Units and Fertil. Recommendations (R. Jaetzold) 51Tables 31 a-g: Fertiliser and Manure Recommendations (B. Hornetz) 53LH 1 p or two, Uh B 6 of the Tea-Dairy Zone 53UM 4 f m i^f(s), Pn N+2 of the Maize - Sunflower Zone and others 55LH 1 p or two RPA if the Tea - Dairy Zone and others 57LH 3 l/vl i or two, FB+ 1 of the Maize/Maize - Barley Zone 59LH 1 p or two, Uh B 1 of the Tea - Dairy Zone 61UM 2 - 3, Um I 1 of the Coffee Zone 63LH 2 - vl i or two, Uh V+ 2 of the Wheat/Maize - Pyrethrum Zone 65

3.4.7 Final Statements (R. Jaetzold) 66Table 32 : Basic Needs of a Rural Family 67Table 33 : Land Requirement for Basic Needs 68

Note: Numbering of chapters is equivalent to numbering in Farm Management Handbook of Kenya

Notes:1) The districts are put together as they have been in 2009, the Census year.2) Originally called Marginal Coffee Zone but maize is now a better cash earner than coffee.

KERICHO GROUP 3

KERICHO GROUP 4

3.4.1 NATURAL POTENTIAL

INTRODUCTION

Most areas of Kericho group of districts receive high rainfall, more than 1400 mm as an annual average. Only the Nyando and the Sondu Valley, the bordering Kano Plains, and the South of the district group are relatively dry with less than 1300 mm, mainly due to the shadow. The rainfall is also well distributed except for the small dry season in January and February (see Diagram Kericho). There are middle rains between the first and second rainy season, and the subzones of the Agro-Ecological Zones are therefore often characterized by one very long cropping season or two variable ones, i.e. planting times may differ according to factors other than climate. If a special differentiation in two certain seasons seems reasonable, it is described as follows: “…or two, for instance…”.

The largest high rainfall area is mainly LH 1, the famous Kericho Tea Zone. The slightly drier Zones 2 in the Upper Highlands (UH 2) are still mainly forest and should remain so forever because the slopes are steep and the valuable timber is of national importance. In the Lower Highlands (LH 2), there is a fairly good potential for maize, wheat and pyrethrum if runoff loss of water and soil in the generally sloping areas is stopped by soil protection measures (see chapter Soil Conservation). Due to higher evaporation during the dry season, water stress may severely affect productivity if water is not preserved. A new promising crop is the sugar substitute stevia which is already successfully planted in LH 1 but may also grow in UM 1, LH 2 and UM 2.

The Zone UM 2 is the Main Coffee Zone in East Kenya. Here in Kericho group of districts, which lies west of the Rift Valley, coffee does not do so well because of the more uniform rainfall which discourages flowering and favours the spread of diseases. Some soils are also not so suitable for coffee. Alternative cash earners may be found in the land use potentials of the subzones of UM 2. In UM 3 the dry season is already critical for coffee (see Diagram Fort Ternan Tunnel Station). In the South, low temperature is a problem caused by cold nights.

UM 4 is the zone where the potential for maize and sunflowers is normally not surpassed by any other crop. However, sorghum is strongly advisable in some southern areas because the rainy season is often weak and, on the other hand, many soils are susceptible to water-logging. Both factors affect sorghum less than maize. There was even a small Livestock-Sorghum Zone (UM 5) in the far South in the first edition of this handbook because the average annual rainfall drops below 1000 mm and the cropping periods are predominantly weak with sharply divided peaks, giving this formula for the subzone: (m/s) + (s/vs). But due to new maize varieties it belongs to the Maize-Sunflower Zone now, too.

The soils in the Kericho group of districts are mainly of volcanic origin which means a long lasting fertility. But also here is, after many years of cropping, exhaustion a serious problem, aggravated by the high rainfall.

KERICHO GROUP 5

KERICHO GROUP 6

TABLE 1: RAINFALL FIGURES FROM SELECTED TYPICAL STATIONS IN KERICHO GROUP OF DISTRICTS HAVING RECENTLY AT LEAST 15 YEARS OF RECORDS

No. and altitude Name of station

Agro-Ecol. Zone and Subzone

Annual rainfall

mm

Monthly & seasonal average rainfall in mm

J F M A M J J A S O N D

90350011829 m

Kericho,Jamji Estate

UM 1p or two 1641

76 90 157 250 219 136 116 138 121 114 121 103

= 762 = 375 = 338

90350022317 m

Londiani,Forest Station LH 2 1127

36 46 75 152 136 118 145 169 93 54 61 43

= 481 = 407 = 158

90350031981 m

Kericho,District Office

LH 1p or two 1865

72 96 158 267 254 159 156 184 154 140 133 92

= 838 = 494 = 365

90350071740 m

Ternan, Tunnel Station

UM 3vl/l i 1270

45 65 110 186 165 123 132 142 95 64 75 70

= 584 = 369 = 209

90350131824 m

Sotik, Monieri Tea Estate

UM 3m/l^(m/s) i 1386

74 103 136 191 144 117 96 134 110 86 107 88

= 648 = 340 = 281

90350201931 m

Kipkelion,Railway Station

LH 3vl/l i 1113

29 61 88 166 151 121 120 131 91 59 54 43

= 526 = 342 = 156

90350752195 m

Kaisugu House,Kericho

LH 1p or two 1749

66 87 139 246 259 154 157 192 147 111 115 78

= 798 = 496 = 304

90350791986 m

Sotik,Tenwik Mission

LH 2vl i or two 1383

85 84 139 245 175 90 71 87 92 83 119 113

= 649 = 250 = 315

90351282370 m

SorgetForest Station UH 2 1188

35 53 65 151 141 105 159 200 102 54 73 50

= 462 = 461 = 177

90351512316 m

Londiani,Entomology Office


42 51 75 153 139 105 150 167 87 60 89 56

= 472 = 404 = 205

90351552379 m

Londiani,Makutano Forest

StationUH 2 1160

49 55 87 168 126 101 123 163 79 55 94 61

= 482 = 365 = 210

90351882100 m

Tinga,Monastry Lumbwa

LH 1p or two 1275

55 75 83 154 153 100 162 186 99 74 81 53

= 490 = 447 = 208

90351991950 m

Ainamoi Chief’s Camp, Kericho

LH 1p or two 1694

82 87 133 237 252 158 141 170 133 114 117 72

= 780 = 444 = 303

90352001828 m

Laliat Farm Ainabkoi, Kericho

UM 2vl i or two 1653

74 84 126 229 244 166 140 173 104 121 121 73

= 765 = 417 = 315

90352012072 m Kapkorech Estate LH 1

p or two 178152 93 137 240 250 158 160 201 150 118 146 77

= 785 = 511 = 341

90352262286 m

Londiani,Forest Training

School


52 57 70 149 135 112 158 187 87 67 85 50

= 466 = 432 = 202

90352271920 m

Bomet,District Office


90 90 151 227 134 85 66 72 76 81 119 112

= 597 = 214 = 312

KERICHO GROUP 7

TABLE 1: CONTINUATION

No. and altitude Name of station

Agro-Ecol. Zone and Subzone

Annual rainfall

mm

Monthly & seasonal average rainfall in mm

J F M A M J J A S O N D

90352351828 m

Kericho,Chagaiki Estate

LH 1p or two 1801

83 89 141 240 250 161 151 184 162 130 123 88

= 792 = 497 = 341

90352361740 m

Chepalungu,Forest Station UM 3 1348

101 120 145 212 115 88 76 89 86 69 131 117

= 560 = 251 = 317

90352442296 m

Timbilil Kericho,Tea Research

StationLH 1

p or two 209081 101 161 266 285 209 206 226 187 152 140 78

= 921 = 619 = 370

90352592296 m

Cheptenye Secondary School

LH 1 p or two 1649

82 84 168 240 218 129 125 169 142 119 114 58

= 755 = 436 = 291

90352611980 m

Kericho,Ngoina Estate

UM 1p or two 1545

89 112 150 222 149 134 127 159 122 90 124 73

= 649 = 408 = 287

90352622296 m

Sotik,Veterinary Clinic

OfficeLH 2 m/l^(m/s) i 1318

86 95 139 216 137 94 89 102 81 76 117 87

= 586 = 272 = 280

90352652099 m

Bomet,Water Supply

LH 2 vl i or two 1363

83 88 159 242 126 93 78 82 81 92 125 114

= 620 = 241 = 331

90352691864 m

Kericho, KipsitetChief’s Office

UM 2vl i or two 1486

87 86 138 229 168 143 112 130 104 92 104 93

= 678 = 346 = 289

90352701968 m

Kaplong,Girls Secondary

SchoolUM 2 – 3 1441

86 90 132 217 159 103 96 101 114 100 150 93

= 611 = 311 = 343

90352792182 m

Kericho,Meteorological

StationLH 1

p or two 209086 102 148 251 298 204 203 231 202 145 149 72

= 901 = 636 = 366

91350081771 m

Sotik,Kaboson Gospel

MissionUM 4

fm i^f(s) 90172 83 106 144 78 53 42 53 41 43 94 93

= 381 = 136 = 230

KERICHO GROUP 8

KERICHO GROUP 9

TABLE 2: TEMPERATURE DATA

No. and altitude

Name of Station AEZ Kind of

records 1)

Temperature in °C Belt limits2)J F M A M J J A S O N D Yr.

90 35 2442134 m

Kericho-Timbilili,Tea Res.Station

LH 1middle

part

Mean max. 25.0 24.4 24.3 22.5 22.7 21.8 21.2 21.4 22.3 22.4 22.2 23.0 22.8 2330 mLH

1875 mMean temp. 16.9 16.9 17.0 16.5 16.0 15.5 15.3 15.3 15.5 15.8 15.6 15.8 16.1

Mean min. 8.8 9.3 9.6 10.5 9.8 9.0 9.4 9.2 8.5 9.2 9.9 9.0 9.4

Abs. min. 2.5 2.8 5.6 6.0 6.0 4.5 5.5 5.6 5.4 4.2 5.6 5.0 2.5

90 35 2792182 m

KerichoMet.

Station

LH 1middle

part

Mean max. 22.8 24.2 24.4 23.5 23.0 22.3 22.1 22.8 23.8 23.1 22.4 22.7 23.1 2500 mLH

2030 mMean temp. 16.9 17.6 17.8 17.6 17.3 16.9 16.6 17.0 17.3 17.0 16.9 16.8 17.2Mean min. 11.0 10.9 11.2 11.6 11.6 11.5 11.1 11.1 10.8 10.9 11.4 10.9 11.2Abs. min. 5.3 4.7 6.3 7.4 6.9 5.5 7.2 6.2 6.6 7.0 6.2 5.5 6.2

1) Of the last 15 years until 20082) Situation around 2008. Global warming will lift up the belt for about 350 m until 2050.

KERICHO GROUP 10

TABLE 3: CLIMATE IN THE AGRO-ECOLOGICAL ZONES

Agro-Ecological

Zone

Subzone Altitude in m

Annual mean temp. in °C

Annual av. rainfall in mm

66% reliability of rainfall1)

60% reliability of cereal and legumes growing period 4)

1st rainy season in

mm

Middle rains

& 2nd season in mm

1st rainy season in

days2)

Middle rains &

2nd rainy season in days

Total in days3)

UH 0Forest Zone 2 300-2 450 16.0-15.1 1 750-2 000 900-1 000 600-700 Whole year very wet

UH 1 Sheep-Dairy Zones

vl i or two 2 350-2 800 15.7-13.0 1 300-1 750 550-950 500-680 130 or more 160-190 290-320

UH 2Wheat-Pyrethrum Zone

vl i or two 2 400-2 600 15.7-14.2 1 100-1 300 450-650 430-600 130 or more 150-170 280-300

LH 0Forest Zone 2 100-2 300 17.2-16.0 1 800-1 950 900-1 000 600-700 Whole year very wet

LH 1Tea-Dairy Zone

p or two 1 875-2 400 18.7-15.4 1 400-1 800 550-950 410-650 160 or more 190-205 350-365

LH 2Wheat/Maize-Pyrethrum Zone

vl i or two 1 920-2 400 18.4-15.4 1 125-1 400 (500)-800 320-500 140 or more 130-200 270-340

LH 3Wheat/Maize-Barley Zone

vl/l i or two 1 935-2 435 18.4-15.3 1 100-1 300 450-650 310-480 120 or more 130-150 250-270

UM 1Coffee-Tea Zone

p or two 1 750-1 900 19.3-18.5 1 400-1 650 650-850 440-610 165 or more 185-200 345-365

UM 2Coffee Zone vl i or two 1 650-1 950 19.9-18.1 1 150-1 500 550-750 420-520 155 or more 120-180 270-335

UM 3Marginal Coffee Zone

vl/l i or twom/l ^ (m/s) i 1 550-2 000 20.5-17.9 1 200-1 350

1 150-1 300600-720400-600

400-470280-390

150 or more155 or more

110-160115-135

260-310270-290

UM 4Maize-Sunflower Zone

f m i ^ f s 1 650-1 950 19.9-18.1 1 000-1 200 300-480 230-350 130 or more 75-115 205-265

LM 2Marginal Sugarcane Zone

l/m ^ (m/s or s/m) 1 200-1 550 22.5-20.9 1 300-1 580 550-700 400-600 175 or more 105-120 280-295

LM 3Lower Midland Cotton Zone

m/l i ^ f(s) Very small, see Kisumu group of districts

1) Amounts surpassed normally in 10 out of 15 years, falling during the agro-humid period which allows growing of most cultivated plants 2) More if growing cycle of cultivated plants continues by middle rains into the period of second rainy season 3) Agro-humid conditions continue from 1st to 2nd rainy season in whole district group 4) Amounts surpassed normally in 6 out of 10 years

KERICHO GROUP 11

KERICHO GROUP 12

KERICHO GROUP 13

AGRO-ECOLOGICAL ZONES AND SUBZONES - Introduction

The Kericho group of districts has large Agro-Ecological Zones of high potential, and they have also fertile soils. Tea is best in zones LH 1 and UM 1. The problem is how to get a good income in the other zones.The yield potentials are calculated for the important annual crops with the programs WATBAL and MARCROP by B. Hornetz (see chapter 3.1 and Annex). The other crops are classified by estimates according to their temperature and water requirements. Not all suitable crops could be mentioned here because of limited space. More crops and the most suited varieties can be found in the crop list (Table X) and in IRACC: Small Holder Farming Handbook for Self Employment, Nairobi 1997, when comparing both sources with the climatic data of the AEZ and Subzones (Table 2) as well as considering the soil requirements (Table IV) and the soil map. The potentials require optimal fertilising and manuring as well as good crop husbandry to reach the given percentages. Recommended for checking in Table X are the following crops resp. varieties which have not been mentioned in the potentials: Many more maize varieties, most of them commercial ones; more vegetables like french beans, carrots, leek, celery, spinach, beetroot, turnips and the root crop cocoyams; more fruits like grapefruit, mandarines, limes, lemons, tangerines, passionfruit (>1200 m) and pineapples (canning quality >1350 m). Tea, sugarcane and cotton have also many interesting varieties. For fodder and forage many other plants than the mentioned ones are classified in Table XI by Agro-Ecological Zones.

It must be kept in mind that the potentials are ecological ones. What is economical depends on the present relation of costs-yield-prices and the marketing possibilities, of course.

KERICHO GROUP 14

KERICHO GROUP 15

AGRO-ECOLOGICAL ZONES AND SUBZONES (Legend to the Map)

UH =UPPER HIGHLAND ZONES

UH 0 =Fo r e s t Z o n e

Very wet and steep, forest best land use

UH 1 =S h e e p - D a i r y Z o n e

UH 1 =Sheep-Dairy Zonevl i or with a very long cropping season and intermediate rains,two seperable in two variable cropping seasons1) and i. r.

Here mainly forest reserve (steep)

G o o d y i e l d p o t e n t i a l (av. 60-80% of the optimum) 1st rainy season (to 2nd r. s.), start norm. March1): Oats (April - S.), peas, potatoes; late mat. rapeseed (~60%); cabbages, carrots, kohlrabi, celery, endive, rampion, leek, radish Middle rains & 2nd rainy season, start norm. end of June1): The same, but normally crops of 1st rainy season not yet ready; planting from end of August onward yield expectations only fair Whole year: Strawberries, collard greens

Fa i r y i e l d p o t e n t i a l (av. 40-60% of the optimum) 1st rainy season: Late mat. wheat, triticale 2nd rainy season: M. mat. barley, 3rd crop potatoes (N. - F., on microclimatic frostfree slopes) Whole year, best planting time end of March: Pyrethrum

Pa s t u r e a n d f o r a g e About 0.5 ha/LU (lower places) to 0.8 ha/LU (drier upper places) on sec. pasture of Kikuyu grass, very suitable for Merino sheep, up to 2700 m also for grade dairy cows; rye grass (Lolium perenne) to improve pasture for dairy (not near wheat fields because it would be a weed there)

UH 2 =W h e a t - P y r e t h r u m Z o n e

UH 2 =Wheat-Pyrethrum Zonevl i or with a very long cropping season and intermediate rains,two seperable in two variable cropping seasons and i. r.

G o o d y i e l d p o t e n t i a l 1st rainy season (to 2nd r. s.), start norm. March: Late mat. maize (in frostfree lower places); late mat. wheat (May - N./D.), triticale (Apr. - O.), m. mat. barley (May - S./O.), oats (April - S.); peas, potatoes (March - July)1); m. mat. rapeseed (April/May - S.); cabbages, kales, carrots, kohlrabi, celery, endive, rampion, leek, radish Middle rains & 2nd rainy season, start norm. b. of July: Oats, m. mat. barley; e. mat. rapeseed, peas and the above mentioned vegetables except kohlrabi, but planting from mid August onward only fair expectations Whole year: Pyrethrum, strawberries, collard greens

Fa i r y i e l d p o t e n t i a l 1st rainy season: Late mat. maize in higher places (2500 to 2700 m, risk of frosts in valleys) Middle rains & 2nd rainy season: Potatoes (Au. - N.), kohlrabi Whole year: Plums, pears, apples (below 2700 m)

Pa s t u r e a n d f o r a g e About 0.8 ha/LU on sec. pasture of Kikuyu and tufted grass (if not overgrazed, otherwise Kikuyu grass is disappearing), suitable for Merino sheep and grade dairy cows; rye grass (Lolium perenne) to improve pasture for dairy, down to 0.5 ha/LU; lucerne best add. forage, Kenya white clover is also suited

LH =LOWER HIGHLAND ZONES

LH 0 =Fo r e s t Z o n e

Very wet and steep, forest best land use

KERICHO GROUP 16

LH 1 =Te a - D a i r y Z o n e

LH 1 =Tea-Dairy Zonep or with permanent cropping possibilities,two seperable in two variable cropping seasons

(See Diagram Kericho)

Ve r y g o o d y i e l d p o t e n t i a l 1st rainy season, start norm. end of F.: Peas, cabbages, carrots, spinach Middle rains & 2nd rainy season, start indistinctly around end of July: Peas Whole year: Tea (upper places less than 80% av., but high quality) G o o d y i e l d p o t e n t i a l 1st rainy season (to 2nd r. s.): Late mat. maize (if not too wet); rapeseed; kales, cauliflower, beetroot, leek, celery, lettuce Middle rains & 2nd rainy season: Cabbages, carrots, kales and other vegetables Whole year: Passion fruit (lower places)

Fa i r y i e l d p o t e n t i a l 1st rainy season: Finger millet; late mat. beans (below 2180 m); potatoes2) (end of April - Aug.), sweet potatoes (lower places); onions Middle r. & 2nd rainy season: Late mat. maize (end of June - D., lower places), beans (below 2180 m)

Pa s t u r e a n d f o r a g e 0.4 - 0.8 ha/LU on sec. or art. pasture of Kikuyu grass (montane moist forest originally); very suitable for grade dairy cows; Kenya white clover best add. forage above 2200 m, Louisiana white clover below

KERICHO GROUP 17

LH 2 =W h e a t / M a i z e - P y r e t h r u m Z o n e 3)

LH 2 =Wheat/Maize-Pyrethrum Zonevl i or with a very long cropping season and intermediate rainstwo seperable in two variable cropping seasons and i. r.

(See Diagram Sorget)

G o o d y i e l d p o t e n t i a l 1st rainy season (to 2nd r. s.), start norm. March: Late mat. wheat (April/May - O./N.), late mat. triticale, late mat. maize (e. of F./Apr. - S./N.); peas, horse beans, potatoes2) (e. of Apr. - Aug.); late mat. sunflower, linseed, rapeseed; cabbages, kales, cauliflower, carrots, beetroot, spinach, celery, lettuce, artichokes, gourgettes Middle rains & 2nd rainy season, start norm. around July: M. mat. barley (June - O.), m. mat. wheat (June - O.); linseed; kales, carrots, beetroot, spinach, tomatoes (lowerplaces), celery Whole year: Black Wattle, New Zealand flax (higher places)

Fa i r y i e l d p o t e n t i a l 1st rainy season: Finger millet; late mat. beans, tomatoes, onions 2nd rainy season: Peas, e. mat. beans (below 2180 m); potatoes (S. - D./J.), cabbages, cauliflower, onions, lettuce Whole year: Pyrethrum; apples, pears, plums above 2200 m; strawberries, passion fruit (< 2200 m), tea (below 2300 m) Pa s t u r e a n d f o r a g e About 1 ha/LU on highland savanna of Kikuyu, Red oats and tufted grass4) between Cedar forest remnants; about 0.6 ha/LU on art. pasture of Nandi Setaria below 2300 m or Rhodes grass below 2100 m; with add. feeding of Giant Setaria, Napier grass (< 2100 m) and clover, lucerne or Lotononis down to about 0.2 ha/LU; suitable for grade dairy cows

LH 1 p or twoNr.: 9035003 Kericho, D. O.0° 23`S 35° 17`E 1950 m

Average rainfall per decade Reliable rainfall, surpassed in 10 out of 15 yearsApprox. pot. evapotranspiration of a permanent crop (tea)Approx. pot. evapotranspiration of late mat. maize like H 611Approx. pot. evapotranspiration of late mat. maize like H 612 Rainfall per indicated growing period, surpassed in 10 out of 15 years1180

KERICHO GROUP 18

LH 2 =Wheat/Maize - Pyrethrum Zonevl i or with a very long cropping season and intermediate rains,l^(m) i seperable in a long and a (weak) medium one

Potential not very much differing from above. Potatoes in 2nd rainy season have to be planted earlier (Aug. - Nov.)

LH 3 =W h e a t / ( M a i z e ) - B a r l e y Z o n e

LH 3 =Wheat/(Maize)3) - Barley Zonevl/l i or with a very long to long cropping season and intermediate rains,two seperable in two variable cropping seasons (second weak) and i. r.

G o o d y i e l d p o t e n t i a l 1st rainy season (to 2nd r. s.), start norm. March: Med. mat. wheat (April - S.), late mat. wheat (March - O.), late mat. triticale, on deep soils late mat. maize (March - S./O.); m. mat. barley; peas; linseed, late mat. sunflower; cabbages, carrots Middle rains & 2nd rainy season, start between end of June and Aug. (not distinct): M. mat. wheat (June - D.), m. mat. barley; rapeseed (end of June - O.) Whole year: Black Wattle

Fa i r y i e l d p o t e n t i a l 1st rainy season: Potatoes; rapeseed; kales, cauliflower, beetroot 2nd rainy season: Tomatoes, kales, beetroot; beans in lower places Whole year: Avocadoes (lower places) Pa s t u r e a n d f o r a g e Around 1.2 ha/LU on highland savanna of Red oats and wire grass, about 0.6 ha/LU on art. pasture of Nandi Setaria or Rhodes grass; suitable for grade dairy cows and grade cattle; subterr. clover and Lotononis as add. forage a. o. (see Table XI).

LH 2 vl iNr.: 9035128 Sorget, Forest Station0° 02`S 35° 32`E 2370 m

Average rainfall per decade Reliable rainfall, surpassed in 10 out of 15 yearsApprox. pot. evapotranspiration of a permanent crop (pyrethrum)Approx. pot. evapotranspiration of late mat. maizeApprox. pot. evapotranspiration of late mat. wheat Rainfall per indicated growing period, surpassed in 10 out of 15 years895

KERICHO GROUP 19

UM =UPPER MIDLAND ZONES

UM 1 =Te a - C o f f e e Z o n e 5 )

UM 1 =Tea - Coffee Zone with permanent cropping possibilities,p or two/ seperable in two to three cropping seasonsthree Ve r y g o o d y i e l d p o t e n t i a l 1st rainy season, start norm. end of F.: Cabbages, kales Middle rains & 2nd rainy season, start indistinctly end of July/beg. of Aug.: M. mat. sunflower Whole year: Tea (lower quality than in LH 1), passion fruit, guavas

G o o d y i e l d p o t e n t i a l 1st rainy season (to 2nd r. s.): Late mat. maize, finger millet; late mat. beans6); potatoes (higher places), sweet potatoes; late and med. mat. sunflower, soya beans; spinach, onions, carrots (above1600 m), black night shade Middle rains & 2nd rainy season: Med. mat. beans, sweet potatoes; e. mat. soya beans; kales, onions, tomatoes Whole year: Bananas, yams, mountain pawpaws, avocadoes, taro (in valleys), loquats

Fa i r y i e l d p o t e n t i a l 1st rainy season: Cold tolerant sorghum; tomatoes Middle rains & 2nd rainy season: Med. mat. maize, cold tol. sorghum (Aug. - F.), finger millet; potatoes, cabbages Real 2nd r. s., start indistinctly end of O.: V. e. mat. beans and fast growing vegetables Whole year: Arabica coffee5), taro (on slopes), citrus

Pa s t u r e a n d f o r a g e About 0.6 ha/LU on art. or sec. pasture of star grass; down to 0.1 ha/LU feeding Napier or Bana grass, banana leaves and fodder legumes (Desmodium uncina, Stylosanthes)

UM 2 =C o f f e e Z o n e

UM 2 =Coffee Zonevl i or with a very long cropping season and intermediate rains,two seperable in two variable cropping seasons and i. r.

Ve r y g o o d y i e l d p o t e n t i a l 1st rainy season (to middle r.), start norm. b. of March: Late mat. maize (higher places, March - S.); cabbages, kales Whole year, best plantig time March: Castor

G o o d y i e l d p o t e n t i a l 1st rainy season (to middle r.): Late mat. maize (lower places, March - Aug.), finger millet; m. mat. beans (lower places)6); sweet potatoes (lower places); late or m. mat. sunflower (May - S./O.); m. mat. soya beans; onions, spinach, tomatoes, black night shade Middle rains & 2nd rainy season, start indistinctly b. of Aug.: E. mat. beans; onions (on light soils) Whole year: Macadamia nuts, passion fruit, avocadoe, mountain pawpaws, bananas (in valleys), guava

Fa i r y i e l d p o t e n t i a l 1st rainy season (to middle r.): M. mat. wheat and barley (only near LH 2 in northeastern higher places, May - S.); pigeon peas (lower places)

Pa s t u r e a n d f o r a g e 0.6 - 1 ha/LU on sec. pasture, dairy cows about 0.5 ha/LU on art. pasture of Rhodes grass; down to about 0.15 ha/LU feeding Napier or Bana grass a. o.; Desmodium uncina best fodder legume (for dairy cows, also suited for rotation to combat Striga)

UM 3 =M a r g i n a l C o f f e e Z o n e , h e r e M a i z e - ( C o f f e e ) Z o n e

UM 3 =Marginal Coffee Zone or Maize - (Coffee) Zonem/l ^ with a medium to long cropping season(m/s) i followed by a (weak) medium to short one and intermediate rains

G o o d y i e l d p o t e n t i a l 1st rainy season, start norm. b. of March: Late mat. maize (higher places), med. mat. maize (lower places), finger millet, high alt. sorghum: m. mat. beans6), sweet potatoes; m. or late mat. sunflower, soya beans; cabbages, kales, onions (on light soils), tomatoes, spinach, black night shade Middle rains & 2nd rainy season, start indistinctly b. of Aug.: V. e. mat. beans; onions (on light soils)

KERICHO GROUP 20

Whole year: Castor, mountain pawpaws, Macadamia nuts, sisal, black wattle (higher places)

Fa i r y i e l d p o t e n t i a l 1st rainy season: Chick peas (on heavy black soils); potatoes (higher places) 2nd rainy season: Potatoes (higher places), sweet potatoes, tomatoes Whole year: Bananas (on deep soils), avocadoes, citrus7), pineapples (lower places)

Po o r y i e l d p o t e n t i a l (av. 20 - 40% of the optimum) Whole year: Arabica coffee, pyrethrum (higher places)

Pa s t u r e a n d f o r a g e 1 - 1.2 ha/LU on sec. pasture, ~0.6 ha/LU on art. pasture of Rhodes grass; down to about 0.18 ha/LU feeding Bana and Napier grass a. o.; Desmodium uncinatum best fodder legume

UM 3 =Marginal Coffee Zonevl/l i with a very long to long cropping season and intermediate rainsor two seperable in two variable cropping seasons and i. r.

(See Diagram Ft. Ternan, Tunnel Station)

Small, potential in 1st rainy season almost as UM 3 m/l ^(m/s) i but preferring late mat. maize. 2nd rainy season starts indistinctly around b. of July with fair chances for m. mat. maize. Marginal for coffee also on good soils. No very good yield potential

UM 4 =M a i z e - Su n f l o w e r Z o n e

UM 4 =Maize - Sunflower Zonefm i ^ with a fully medium cropping season and intermediate rains,f(s) followed by a fully (weak) short cropping season

G o o d y i e l d p o t e n t i a l 1st rainy season, start norm. e. of Feb.: Med. mat. maize8), m. mat. cold tolerant sorghum, finger millet; m. mat. beans, chick peas (on heavy black soils); m. mat. sunflower, m. mat. soya beans, onions (on light soils)

UM 3 vl/l i or twoNr.: 9035007 Ternan, Tunnel Station0° 10`S 35° 23`E 1740 m

Average rainfall per decade Reliable rainfall, surpassed in 10 out of 15 yearsApprox. pot. evapotranspiration of a permanent crop (bananas)Approx. pot. evapotranspiration of late mat. maizeApprox. pot. evapotranspiration of m. mat. wheat (upper areas) Rainfall per indicated growing period, surpassed in 10 out of 15 years770

KERICHO GROUP 21

Whole year: Sisal, castor Fa i r y i e l d p o t e n t i a l 1st rainy season: Potatoes, sweet potatoes; tomatoes, cabbages, kales, spinach, black night shade Middle rains & 2nd rainy season, start norm. Nov.9): E. mat. maize, finger millet; v. e. and e. mat. beans, chick peas (on heavy black soils), kales Whole year: Pineapples, mountain pawpaws, Macadamia nuts

Pa s t u r e a n d f o r a g e 1 - 1.5 ha/LU on mixed savanna pasture, ~1 ha on vlei soils; horse tamarind (Leucaena tricandria) and saltbush (Atriplex nummularia) best suitable fodder shrubs on free draining soils

UM 5 =L i v e s t o c k - S o r g h u m Z o n e

Very small, potential see Narok group of districts

LM =LOWER MIDLAND ZONES

LM 2 =M a r g i n a l Su g a r c a n e Z o n e

LM 2 =Marginal Sugarcane Zonel/m ^ with a long to medium cropping season(m/s) followed by a (weak) medium to short one

Ve r y g o o d y i e l d p o t e n t i a l 1st rainy season, start norm. end of Feb.: M. mat. sorghum; sweet potatoes; m. mat. soya beans, e. mat. sunflower; sweet pepper, chillies, pumpkins

G o o d y i e l d p o t e n t i a l 1st rainy season (to middle r.): M. mat. maize, late mat. sorghum, finger millet; m. mat. beans, pigeon peas, late mat. groundnuts (rosette resistant var.); late mat. soya beans, roselle; egg plants, tomatoes, onions, pumpkin butternut, black night shade Middle rains & 2nd rainy season, start indistinctly towards end of Aug.: M. mat. green grams (up to 1400 m); e. mat. sunflower Whole year, best planting time end of F.: Cassava, pawpaws, bananas (on deep soils), yam beans (best near rivers)

Fa i r y i e l d p o t e n t i a l 1st rainy season: Rice in mbugas; cowpeas; tobacco, cotton (low quality, danger of rain in open bolls); cabbages, kales, egg plants 2nd rainy season: M. mat. sorghum, m. mat. maize; e. mat. beans (higher places), cowpeas (lower places), bambara groundnuts (light soils); sweet potatoes; cotton (July - F., relayplanted in maize of first rainy season) Whole year: Sugarcane, pineapples, sisal, citrus (low quality), mangoes (endangered by fungus diseases)

Pa s t u r e a n d f o r a g e 0.6 - 1.2 ha/LU on sec. high grass savanna; down to 0.15 ha/LU feeding Napier or Bana grass, maize stalks, banana leaves and fodder legumes

LM 3 =C o t t o n Z o n e

Very small, potential see Kisumu group of districts

1) Start and end of rainy seasons in whole district not very distinct, especialyy 2nd rainy season in some places there is even a third peak. So planting times are variable according to crops and their rotation.2) Spraying against fungus diseases important3) Wheat or maize mainly depending on farm scale4) The bad tufted grasses Eleusine jaegeri and Pennisetum schimperi are expanding if the areas are overgrazed. They may be controlled by fire5) Maize in most parts better suited to local ecological and social conditions than wheat6) Coffee yields are low because of unsuitable soils, diseases (too wet), and less flowering because of undistinct rainfall distribution7) Sometimes rotting because of too wet conditions8) With add. irrigation (D.-F.) well growing9) Still experimental

KERICHO GROUP 22

SOIL DISTRIBUTION, FERTILITY AND MAJOR CHARACTERISTICS

The major part of the Kericho groups of districts exhibits undulating to rolling topography that gives way to flatter terrain in the south. The overall slope of the land is towards the west, consequently drainage is also in that direction, at least in the eastern part, cutting deep valleys (except in the southern part).Intermediate and basic volcanic rocks (phonolites) underlie most of the area, while undifferentiated Basement System Rocks (mainly granites) outcrop in the South. From the high to low lying terrain, the following map units are distinguished:On the mountains West and South of Londiani mountain, soil unit MB3 has an unstable fertility. On the hills and minor scarps a variety of soils occur: map unit HB1 is similar to MB3 but had a humic topsoil, map units HB1 and HQC also have a low fertility today. On the associated footslopes, the following soils are encountered: map unit FVC/FR1 of low fertility and unit FY+1 with high fertility. A small area of piedmont plain is found in the northwest with soils of variable fertility (unit YU3).The central part, which is the largest part of the district, is occupied by volcanic footridge landscape. Here we find soil unit RBA of moderate fertility. In the eastern part of the district group, soils of unit RPA occur with generally high fertility. Smaller plateaus occur south and north of Sotik, soils either belong to unit FB1 with low to very low fertility, or to unit PvP2 with moderately high fertility. Similar soils also occur on the plains with map unit PnN+2 which are associated with unit 224 Pn. They have low fertility. In the extreme northwest, on the lacustrine plains, soils of unit PlA9 of moderate to high fertility are found. The greater part of the uplands is covered by soils of moderate to high (unit UhB6) or low (unit UmL1) fertility. Around Londiani, unit PnB+3 of moderate to high fertility is present. They are associated with soils of unit UhV+2 which have high fertility. This soil is similar to unit LvBP1 occurring in a small area in the northeast. In the southeast, the map unit UpB+A carries soils of variable fertility. This unit is associated with unit UpY+A, In the bottomlands, soils of unit PnB+3 of very low fertility are common. In the alluvial floodplains two units occur: map unit VXC of moderate to high fertility, and soils of map unit AA3 of variable fertility.

LEGEND TO THE SOIL MAP OF KERICHO GROUP OF DISTRICTS

1 Explanation of first character (physiography)

M Mountains and Major Scarps (steep; slopes predominantly over 30%; relief intensity more than 300 m (Mountains) or more than 100 m (Major Scarps); altitudes here up to 2641 m)

H Hills and Minor Scarps (hilly to steep; slopes predominantly over 16%; relief intensity up to 100 (Minor Scarps) to 300 m (Hills); altitudes here up to 2500 m)

L Plateaus (very gently undulating to undulating; slopes less than 8%; altitudes between 1200 and 1600 m - Maseno/Sondu - and between 2000 and 2500 m - Uasin Gishu and Siria Plateaus)

R Volcanic Footridges (dissected lower slopes of major older volcanoes and older lava flows, undulating to hilly; slopes between 5 and 30%; altitudes here between 1800 and 2500 m; Tinderet Mountains)

F Footslopes (at the foot of Hills and Mountains; gently undulating to rolling; slopes between 2 and 16%; various altitudes)

KERICHO GROUP 23

Y Piedmont Plains (nearly flat to gently undulating; slopes between 0 and 5%; altitudes between 1150 and 1500 m; in Kano Plains)

U Uplands Uh Upper Middle-Level Uplands (undulating to rolling; slopes between 5 and 16%; altitudes between 1650 and 2650 m) Um Lower Middle-Level Uplands (gently undulating to undulating; slopes between 2 and 8%; altitudes between 1200 and 2200 m) Ul Lower-Level Uplands (very gently undulating to undulating: slopes between 2 and 8%; altitudes between 1200 and 2100 m) Up Upland/High-Level Plain Transitional Lands (gently undulating; slopes between 2 and 5%; altitudes between 1650 and 2000 m)

P Plains Pn Non-Dissected Erosional Plains (very gently undulating to undulating; slopes between 0 and 8%; various altitudes) Pv Volcanic Plains (almost flat to gently undulating; slopes between 0 and 5%; altitude approximately 1800 m; near Kilgoris, Loita Plains)

A Floodplains and River Terraces (almost flat to gently undulating; slopes between 0 and 5%; various altitudes; seasonally flooded or ponded)

B Bottomlands (flat to gently undulating; slopes between 0 and 5%; various altitudes; seasonally ponded)

S Swamps (almost flat; slopes between 0 and 2%; various altitudes; permanently waterlogged if not reclaimed)

V Minor Valleys (V or U-shaped valleys; slopes mainly up to 16%, exceptionally up to 30%; width mainly 250-500 m, up to about 1000 m; depth up to about 100 m; various altitudes)

2 Explanation of second character (lithology): Plant nutrients in parent materialA Recent Alluvial Sediments from Various Sources manyB Basic Igneous Rocks (basalts, nepheline phonolites; older basic tuffs included) manyB+ - do - with volcanic ash admixture very manyBP - do - with influence of volcanic ash admixture predominant very manyG Granites and Granodiorites fewG+ - do - with volcanic ash admixture few to manyI Intermediate Igneous Rocks (andesites, phonolites, syenites, etc.) very manyI+ - do - with volcanic ash admixture very manyN+ Biotite Gneisses, with volcanic ash admixture manyQ Quartzites very fewU Undifferentiated Basement System Rocks (predominantly Gneisses) fewV+ Undifferentiated or Various Igneous Rocks, with volcanic ash admixture manyX Undifferentiated or Various Rocks few to manyY+ Acid Igneous Rocks (Syenites, etc.) with volcanic ash admixture few to many

KERICHO GROUP 24

3 Soil descriptions

MB3 Well drained shallow to moderately deep, dark reddish brown, friable, gravelly clay loam to clay, with an acid humic topsoil; in places stony and rocky, or deep: humic CAMBISOLS, partly lithic, stony phase; with Rock Outcrops

MB+1 Well drained, shallow to moderately deep, dark reddish brown, friable and slightly smeary, stony and rocky, clay loam; in many places with a humic topsoil: humic and ando-eutric CAMBISOLS, stony, rocky and partly lithic phases

HBl Somewhat excessively to well drained, very shallow to moderately deep, dark reddish brown, friable, gravelly clay; in many places with an acid humic topsoil; in places stony and rocky: dystric and humic CAMBISOLS, partly lithic and stony phases, and LITHOSOLS; with Rock Outcrops

HQC Complex of: Somewhat excessively drained, very shallow to shallow, dark brown, gravelly sandy loam to clay loam; in many places with an acid humic topsoil: RANKERS; with LITHOSOLS and Rock Outcrops

HY+1 Somewhat excessively drained, very shallow to shallow, dark reddish brown, gravelly clay, with an acid humic topsoil: RANKERS and LITHOSOLS

LI7 Well drained, shallow, dark reddish brown to brown, sandy clay loam to gravelly clay; over petroplinthite or rock; in places moderately deep: ferralic and dystric CAMBISOLS, lithic and petroferric phases

LuBP1 Well drained, deep to very deep, dark brown to dark red, friable and smeary sandy clay, with an acid humic topsoil: humic ANDOSOLS

RB3 Well drained, moderately deep to deep, dark reddish brown to dusky red, very friable clay: nito-rhodic FERRALSOLS

RB4 Well drained, moderately deep to very deep, dark reddish brown to dark brown, friable clay, with a humic topsoil: chromo-luvic PHAEOZEMS and mollic NITISOLS

RB8 Somewhat excessively to well drained, shallow to moderately deep, brown to reddish brown, friable clay loam, with an acid humic topsoil; in places stony and rocky: humic CAMBISOLS, partly lithic and stony phase; with Rock outcrops

RBA Association of: well drained, very deep to extremely deep, dark reddish brown to dark red, friable clay, in places slightly smeary, with an acid humic topsoil; on interfluves (60-70%): humic NITISOLS, with ando-humic NITISOLS and: well drained, shallow to moderately deep, dark reddish brown to dark brown, friable clay loam to clay, with an acid humic topsoil; on side slopes (30-40%):

KERICHO GROUP 25

humic CAMBISOLS, partly lithic phase

RPA Association of: well drained, very deep, dark reddish brown, very friable and smeary, sandy clay loam to clay, with a thick humic topsoil; on interfluves (70-80%): mollic ANDOSOLS and: well drained, shallow to moderately deep, dark brown to dark reddish brown, friable and slightly smeary clay loam to clay; in places with a humic topsoil; on side slopes (20-30%): ando-eutric CAMBISOLS, with humic CAMBISOLS, partly lithic phase

FB1 Well drained, deep to very deep, dark reddish brown, friable clay, with a humic topsoil; in places shallow to moderately deep and rocky: chromo-luvic PHAEOZEMS, partly lithic and rocky phase, with mollic NITISOLS

FB3 Well drained, deep to very deep, dark reddish brown to red, friable clay: rhodic FERRALSOLS

FB+1 Well drained, moderately deep to deep, reddish brown to dark brown, friable and slightly smeary silty clay, with a humic topsoil; in places shallow and rocky: ando-luvic PHAEOZEMS, partly lithic phase; with Rock outcrops

FI2 Well drained, shallow to moderately deep, dark red to dark yellowish brown, friable, gravelly clay loam to clay; in places stony and rocky; in places over petroplinthite: ferralic CAMBISOLS, lithic or petroferric phase, partly stony phase and LITHOSOLS; with Rock outcrops

FQ1 Well drained, deep to very deep, reddish brown to yellowish red, friable sandy loam to clay, with an acid humic topsoil: humic ACRISOLS, with luvic ARENOSOLS

FUC Complex of: well drained, deep, dark reddish brown to dark yellowish brown soils of varying consistency and texture; in places moderately deep, gravelly and/or stony: orthic FERRALSOLS, orthic ACRISOLS and ferralic ARENOSOLS, partly stony phases

FX1 Well drained, deep, dark reddish brown to brown, friable to firm, slightly gravelly, sandy clay loam to sandy clay: orthic LUVISOLS

FY+1 Moderately well to imperfectly drained, deep, dark reddish brown, mottled, friable clay loam, with a humic topsoil; deeper subsoil of compact clay: gleyic PHAEOZEMS

YU3 Imperfectly to poorly drained, deep to very deep, very dark grey to dark greyish brown, mottled, firm to very firm, saline and sodic, sandy clay loam to cracking clay; in many places abruptly underlying a topsoil of firm sandy loam to sandy clay loam: vertic SOLONETZ and solodic PLANOSOLS, saline phase and chromic VERTISOLS, saline- sodic phase

KERICHO GROUP 26

YU4 Poorly drained, very deep, dark greyish brown to very dark grey, mottled, firm to very firm, cracking clay, abruptly underlying a topsoil of friable sandy clay loam, in places with a sodic subsoil: verto-eutric PLANOSOLS, with solodic PLANOSOLS

UhB1 Well drained, very deep to extremely deep, dark red to dark reddish brown, friable clay, with a humic topsoil: mollic NITISOLS

UhB6 Well drained, very deep to extremely deep, dark reddish brown to dusky red, friable clay, with a predominantly acid humic topsoil: humic NITISOLS, with dystro-mollic NITISOLS

UhG2 Well drained, deep to very deep, yellowish red to dark reddish brown, friable to firm sandy clay, with an acid humic topsoil: ferralo-humic ACRISOLS

UhI1 Well drained, very deep to extremely deep, dark red to dark reddish brown, friable clay: eutric NITISOLS

UhI2 Well drained, deep to extremely deep, strong brown to dark reddish brown, friable clay, with an acid humic to humic topsoil; in places shallow to moderately deep: luvic PHAEOZEMS to humic NITISOLS, partly lithic phase

UhI3 Well drained, very deep to extremely deep, dark red to dark reddish brown, friable clay, with a humic topsoil: mollic NITISOLS

UhI+1 Well drained, very deep to extremely deep, reddish brown, friable clay, with a thick humic topsoil: mollic NITISOLS

UhV+2 Well drained, moderately deep to deep, reddish brown to dark red, friable and slightly smeary silty clay to clay, with a humic topsoil; in places shallow: ando-luvic PHAEOZEMS, partly lithic phase

UhY+l Well drained, very deep, dark red to dark reddish brown, friable sandy clay to clay; in places moderately deep to deep: nito-rhodic FERRALSOLS

UmI1 Well drained, extremely deep, dusky red to dark reddish brown, friable clay, with an acid humic topsoil: humic NITISOLS

UmU5 Well drained, shallow, dark brown to dark yellowish brown, gravelly sandy clay loam to sandy clay; over weathering rock: eutric CAMBISOLS, paralithic phase

Ul I3 Well drained, shallow, dark reddish brown to brown, sandy clay loam to gravelly clay; in many places over petroplinthite:

KERICHO GROUP 27

orthic FERRALSOLS and ferralic CAMBISOLS, lithic and petroferric phases

UpB+A Association of: imperfectly drained, deep, very dark greyish brown to very dark grey, very firm clay, abruptly underlying a topsoil of friable, silty clay loam; on straight to convex slopes (60-70%): eutric PLANOSOLS and: imperfectly drained, deep, very dark greyish brown to very dark grey, very firm, cracking clay; in places sodic; on interfluves (30-40%): chromic VERTISOLS

UpY+A Association of: poorly drained, deep, very dark grey, very firm, cracking clay; in many places abruptly underlying a topsoil of friable loam; on flat parts (50%): chromic VERTISOLS and eutric PLANOSOLS and: well drained, moderately deep, dark reddish brown, firm clay loam, with a humic topsoil; on sloping parts (50%): chromo-luvic PHAEOZEMS

PnB+1 Imperfectly drained, deep, black to very dark greyish brown, very firm, cracking clay, with a calcareous deeper subsoil; in places saline and sodic: pellic VERTISOLS, partly saline-sodic phase

PnB+3 Imperfectly to poorly drained, deep, very dark greyish brown to black, mottled, firm clay loam to cracking clay, abruptly underlying 20-30 cm of bleached, friable silty clay loam to silty clay; in places with an acid humic topsoil: dystric PLANOSOLS, with humic PLANOSOLS

PnG+1 Imperfectly drained, deep, dark greyish brown, mottled, very firm, gravelly clay loam to clay, abruptly underlying a thick topsoil of friable loam: eutric PLANOSOLS

PnN+2 Imperfectly drained, deep, very dark grey to very dark greyish brown, very firm clay; in most places abruptly underlying a topsoil of friable clay loam: verto-eutric PLANOSOLS, with verto-orthic grevzeks

PvP2 Imperfectly to poorly drained, deep, black, very firm clay, abruptly underlying a topsoil of friable loam, with a slightly calcareous deeper subsoil: eutric PLANOSOLS

AA3 Imperfectly to poorly drained, deep, dark yellowish brown to dark greyish brown, nettled, firm clay loam to clay, with a humic topsoil; in places stratified: mollic GLEYSOLS, with eutric FLUVISOLS

BB l Imperfectly to poorly drained, deep, dark greyish brown to very dark grey mottled, firm clay to very firm cracking clay; in places abruptly underlying an acid humic topsoil of friable loam to clay loam: chromic VERTISOLS, with humic PLANOSOLS

KERICHO GROUP 28

BX6 Imperfectly to poorly drained, deep to very deep, very dark grey to very dark greyish brown, mottled, firm, sodic clay; in many places abruptly underlying a topsoil of friable, sandy loam to clay loam: solodic PLANOSOLS, with orthic SOLONETZ

SA1 Very poorly drained, deep, dark grey to black, half-ripe clay, with a humic or histic topsoil; in many places peaty: mollic GLEYSOLS and eutric HISTOSOLS

VXC Complex of: well drained, shallow to deep soils of varying colour, consistency and texture (on valley sides): CAMBISOLS, ACRISOLS and FERRALSOLS, partly lithic phases and: imperfectly to poorly drained, deep, mottled soils with predominantly greyish colours, firm consistency and fine textures (in valley bottoms): GLEYSOLS, with VERTISOLS and HISTOSOLS

NOTES for definitions (of underlined words)1 mollic Nitisols and chromo-luvic Phaeozems: soils are equally important2 mollic Nitisols, with chromo-luvic Phaeozems: Nitisols are prevalent3 in places: in <30% of the area4 in many places: in 30-50% of the area5 predominantly: in >50% of the area6 deeper subsoil: below 80 cm.

3.4.2 POPULATION AND LAND see main Volume Southern Rift Valley Province

3.4.3 AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS see main Volume Southern Rift Valley Province

KERICHO GROUP 29

KERICHO GROUP 30

3.4.4 FARM SURVEY IN KERICHO GROUP OF DISTRICTS

The Farm Survey of 2004 was carried out in eight sites of the former Kericho group of districts; encompassing in 04 the districts Kericho, Buret and Bomet. The represented agro-ecological zones were broadly Lower Highlands (LH 1 & LH 2), Upper Midlands (UM 1, UM 3 & UM 4) and Lower Midlands (LM 2). In the Lower Highland zones, average land size ranges between 1.90 ha and 2.29 ha (Tables 26a, b & f ). In most of the LH zones more land is allocated for permanent pasture and fodder crops than for annual crops. The high proportion of land allocated to pasture is an indication that livestock keeping (especially dairy) is an established livelihood enterprise, especially near Kericho town where selling the milk is easy. The land size under annual and perennial crops is less there (Table 26a). The reduction could be attributed to the increasing population in Kericho District but may be also due to the desire by residents to move near Kericho town. In LH 2 units, little land only is allocated to perennial crops (Tables 26b & f ) because it is too dry for tea. Survey results show that farmers in LH 2 practice crop diversification more than those in LH1. Major crops are maize and beans but there are others such as cabbage, Irish potatoes, kales and pyrethrum. Tea is the major cash crop in LH 1, while a section of farmers in LH 2 plant bananas and fruits as perennial crops on their small acreage of land. Dairy farming is booming in the Lower Highland AEZs, even in the less suited LH 2, but the high figure of livestock units (TLU) derived from pasture and fodder crop land sizes, suggest that overstocking is an emerging challenge. Farmers in all the LH zones use farm inputs (improved seeds and fertilizer), though the quantity used at Kabisoge (Table 26f ) is low compared to other AEZ units because it is far from Kericho town.

Average land size in the Upper Midland Zones (UM 1, UM 3 & UM 4) ranges between 1.71 ha and 2.57 ha only (Tables 26d, e, g and h), suggesting increased land fragmentation which reduces the livelihood basis. The acreage under pasture and fodder crops is nevertheless the highest compared to annual and perennial crops, showing the importance of livestock. In all the AEZs not suitable for tea, average land size for perennial crops is less than 0.2 ha (see Tables 27g & h). The main food crops grown in UM zones are maize and beans as evidenced by land size for crops grown in Tables 27d, e, g & h). Other crops are sorghum, kales, tomatoes and sweet potatoes. Most of the crops are grown during the first rains than during the 2nd rainy season. Perennial crops in UM & LM zones mainly include fruit trees and bananas. Tea is the major cash crop in UM 1 (Table 27d & e) as it accounts for 75% - 100% of the land under perennial crops. There are differences in the number and type of livestock found in each of the UM AEZs. For instance, in zones UM 3 & 4 the averages for zebu livestock are higher than dairy because of the significant dry season. The TLU values derived from pasture per hectare suggest a coming overstocking. At UM 1 (Table 27d & e), there are no zebu cattle and the TLU/ha for dairy cattle is 5-10. The average numbers of zebu and dairy cattle in zone UM 4 (Table 27h) are almost proportional. With the exception of remote parts of UM 3, farmers in UM zones not only use modern farm inputs (i.e. improved seed varieties and fertilizer), but they also apply manure to improve crop yields.

Sustainable agriculture offers solutions to some of these aforementioned problems observed in Kericho.These can be summarized as follows:• Improved soil fertility: Conventional farming methods rely on artificial fertilizers to maintain fertility. Sustainable agriculture uses a range of techniques to maintain and improve soil fertility: organic fertilizers (esp. manure), mulching, cover crops, agro-forestry, crop rotation and multiple cropping.• Better pest control: Conventional farming uses chemical pesticides to control pests. These are expensive and often result in the emergence of new pests or the resurgence of the very pests they are trying to control. Sustainable agriculture instead uses integrated pest management approaches: a combination of natural enemies, crop rotations and mixtures and biological control methods. These methods cost less than the pesticides, and do not result in pest resurgence.• Controlling erosion: Sustainable agriculture includes a palette of techniques to conserve precious topsoil and prevent it from being washed or blown away. These include using contour bunds, contour planting, check-dams, gully plugs, and maintaining cover crops or mulch to protect the soil from heavy rainfall.• Water conservation: Water is scarce in the drier zone UM 4 of the Kericho group of districts, and drought is never far away. Sustainable agriculture conserves water in the soil through a variety of methods. Fortunately, many of these are the same as those used to control soil erosion. Because it conserves water and uses a variety

KERICHO GROUP 31

of crops instead of just one, sustainable agriculture is less risky than conventional monocropping: it is more likely to produce food for the farm family even during a drought.• Reliance on local inputs: Farmers often do not realize the value of the inputs they have immediately to hand. They include manure from their animals (which very often is wasted in conventional systems), vegetation from roadsides and the field boundaries (used as mulch or to make compost), and local varieties of crops (many of which are ideally adapted to local conditions but which have been half-forgotten in the rush to adopt modern varieties). Farmers need to be encouraged to use these local inputs as this will not only reduce the cost of production but also reduce the negative effects of artificial inputs on the environment. • Indigenous knowledge: An important local input is the people’s own knowledge. Local people are experts on the plants, animals, soils and ecosystems they are surrounded by and on which they depend. Sustainable agriculture draws on this wealth of knowledge, and encourages local people to use it, test it, and promote what works best.• Local organizations and initiative: Equally important are the energy and capacity of local people to organize and cooperate to solve their own problems. Unlike conventional extension agencies, organizations that promote sustainable agriculture spend at least as much time in helping farmers organize as they do in teaching farming technologies. Ironically, many sustainable agriculture approaches are very similar to the techniques traditionally used by farmers before the advent of “modern” farming. That does not mean, though, that sustainable agriculture turns its back on modern inputs or ideas. Many types of sustainable agriculture use modern high-yielding crop varieties and artificial fertilizers wherever appropriate.

TABLE 25: FARM SURVEY SITES Representative of the Dominating Agro-Ecological Zones, Subzones and Units

District 2004 No. in Kenya

Agro-Ecological Unit Farm Survey SitesAEZone Subzone Soil Unit

Kericho

69 LH 1 p or two UhB6 Belgut Division, Kipkoyan Location, Kipkoyan Sub-location.

70 LH 2 vl i or two UhV+2 Londiani Division, Londiani Location, Chepkongony Sub-location

71 LM 2 vl i or two UmU5 Soin Division, Kapsegut Location, Kapsegut Sub-location

Buret72 UM 1 p or two UhB6 Buret Division, Litein Location, Kapkarin

Sub-location73 UM 1 p or two Um I 1 Rorot Division, Tebesonik Location,

Tebesonik Sub-location.

Bomet

74 LH 2 vl i or two UpB+ A Bomet Division, Itembe Location, Kabisoge Sub-location

75 UM 3 m/l^(m/s) i PvP 2 Siongiroi Division, Bingwa Location,

Kap-Ole- Seroi Sub-location76 UM 4 m i^f(s) PnB+ 1 Sigor Division, Sigor Location, Kipkeigei

Sub-location.

Tables 26 a - h: ASSETS, LAND USE, FARMING INTENSITY AND INPUTS see main Volume Southern Rift Valley Province

Tables 27 a - h: CROPPING PATTERN see main Volume Southern Rift Valley Province

KERICHO GROUP 32

3.4.5 INTRODUCTION TO THE ACTUAL LAND USE SYSTEMS AND POTENTIAL INTENSIFICATON BY BETTER FARM MANAGEMENT IN DOMINATING AGRO-ECOLOGICAL SUBZONES

In order to realize the main task of the farm management, a question targeting specifically the inputs used by farmers and resultant increase in yields was included in the Small Farm Survey questionnaire that was conducted. In each survey area the purposively sampled 30 farmers were divided into 3 groups: one group applying low inputs, a second one medium inputs, and a third one high inputs. The difference between these groups shows the amount of yields that can be realistically achieved by the farmers practicing better farm management. The column with the yield potential finally shows figures under optimal soil conditions, water supply, crop husbandry and pest control, which is the ultimate goal of any farmer.

More detailed information can be found together with calculations of profitability in the Farm Management Guidelines of each district. But the tables found there are not yet correlated with the relevant and most suited Agro-Ecological Units, which are necessary for the calculation of expected yields and the amount of inputs. The amount of fertiliser per soil unit is described in MURIUKI & QURESHI: Fertiliser Use Manual, KARI 2001. For more details, see Chapter 3.4.6.

In terms of aerial expanse, the dominant Zones in which field data were collected from in the Kericho Group of Districts are: LH 1, LH 2, UM 1-4 and LM 2. An additional important reference material is “Small Holder Farming Handbook for Self-employment”. First published in 1997 by Information Research and Communication Centre (IRACC) & Marketing Support Services Ltd, Nairobi.

KERICHO GROUP 33

KERICHO, KERICHO WEST & KIPKELION DISTRICTS

Subzone LH 1 p or two of the Tea-Dairy Zone

This is the Lower Highland Tea-Dairy Zone with permanent cropping possibilities divideable into two variable cropping seasons as found in Belgut Division, Kipkoyan Location, Kipkoyan Sublocation. The dominant soil type is the well drained, very deep to extremely deep, dark reddish brown to dusky red, friable clay, with predominantly acidic topsoil: humic NITISOLS, with dystro-mollic NITISOLS. The annual average rainfall amount is between 1400 – 1800 mm. The first rainy season can expect more than 550 – 950 mm in 10 out of 15 seasons; the middle rains and second rainy season > 410 – 650 mm. The 60% reliability of the growing periods during the 1st and 2nd seasons is more than 160 and 190 – 205 days, respectively. The middle rains may already be combined with the first rainy season for a long growing period as the farmers do it. Then the figures are <230 and 120-135 days.

In this Subzone, there seems to be besides of tea a focus on growing maize, beans and tomatoes in the long rainy season and a small acreage of it in the short rainy season due to its shortness. As expected tea is the most important perennial and cash crop found in this Subzone (Table 27a). There is evidence that farmers in this Subzone are applying farm inputs in the form of chemical fertilisers and manure to improve soil fertility and increase crop production, particularly that of the staple food crop - maize (see Table 26a). If farmers continue using appropriate farm inputs with the correct application rates and the right timing, substantial maize yield increase can be expected. This is demonstrated under three levels of inputs and the potential on the predominant soil of this Subzone, i.e. humic NITISOL, shown in Table 28a. This good soil can support yields almost to the optimum if also potash and manure are given. Yields like 14 000 kg/ha are possible with H 6213 or the new varieties KH 600-23A and 24A (see Table X).

KERICHO GROUP 34

TABLE 28a: INCREASE OF YIELDS BY BETTER FARM MANAGEMENT IN AGRO-ECOLOGICAL UNIT1) LH 1 p or two, UhB6

Subzone: p or two, Soil Unit: UhB6 Survey Area 69 (Kipkoyan)

Crop Yields3) and Inputs

AEZ: LH 1 TEA-DAIRY ZONESubzone: p or two (Periods in days2): 1st rainy season >160, middle rains & 2nd rainy s. >190 days)Unit with predom. Soil: UhB6 = well drained, very deep humic NITISOLSReliable rainfall: 1st rainy season >700 mm in at least 10 out of 15 years

Middle rains & 2nd rainy season: >690 mm in at least 10 out of 15 years

Farmers in Prod. Level Farmers in Prod. LevelMaize local monocroppedYields3) kg/haFertiliser7):

N kg/haP2O5 kg/haK2O kg/haManure t/ha

I= low II= med.4) III= high5) AEU Pot.6) I= low II=

med.4)III=high5)

AEU Pot.6)

3000

105-3

4000

3015

-5

-

----

* 3500

105-5

3800

3015

-5

------

*

Hybrid maize Yields3) kg/haFertiliser7):


3600

201055

7000

402085

14000

80601515

15000 ------

------

------

Maize localintercroppedwithbeansYields3) kg/haFertiliser7):


-

----

-

----

------

------

-

----

-

--

-

------

Maize hybridintercroppedwithbeansYields3) kg/haFertiliser7):


------

----

-

------

------

NOTES:1)Source: Interview of 30 farmers (if possible 10 in each level) 2004 by Divisional and Field staff2)Figures of these cereals growing periods should be reached or surpassed in 6 out of 10 years; growing periods may be considered longer due to immediately following second rainy season by middle rains. Then the second growing period is shorter than the given figures.3)Achieved average yields with average rainfall4)Farmers with medium inputs5)Farmers with high inputs of Fertiliser, insecticides, soil and water conservation6)Potential yield according to crop list and local climate of this Agro-Ecological Unit if soils are optimally fertilized, plus optimal crop management.7)Fertiliser applications are averaged at 20 % of pure nutrient*Agroecological unit potential for local maize variety not yet established

KERICHO GROUP 35

Subzone LH 2 vl i or two of the Wheat/Maize – Pyrethrum Zone

This is the Lower Highland Wheat/Maize-Pyrethrum Zone with a very long cropping season and intermediate rains, separable in two variable cropping seasons and intermediate rains located in Londiani Division, Londiani Location, Chepkongony Sub-location. The dominating soil type in this Subzone is the well drained, moderately deep to deep, reddish brown to dark red, friable and slightly smeary silty clay to clay, with humic topsoil, in places shallow: ando-luvic PHAEOZEM, partly lithic phase. The annual average rainfall amount is 1125 mm, in higher parts up to 1400 mm. The first rainy season can expect more than (500) – 800 mm in 10 out of 15 seasons; the middle rains and second rainy season > 320 – 500 mm. The 60% reliability of the growing periods during the 1st and 2nd seasons is more than 140 and 130 – 200 days, respectively. The middle rains may already be combined with the first rainy season for a long growing period as the farmers do it. Then the figures are > 200 and 80-140 days.

In this Subzone, arrays of food crops are grown during the first rainy season. In order of importance, these include: maize, kales, cabbages and Irish potatoes. The cash crop grown was pyrethrum until the factory in Nakuru burnt down in 2006. Now there is little interest because the dried flowers have to go far for processing. The perennial crops grown were collectively lumped as fruits without any disaggregation. There were no crops listed as being grown during the second rainy season (see Table 27b) because the high yielding maize H 6213 is planted which needs 7-8 months in this altitude (March-O/N). Crops planted after Nov. would be harmed by dry spells in January.

A close examination of Table 26b shows that farmers in this Subzone are applying chemical fertilisers to enhance the soil fertility status in order to boost crop production. If farmers are provided with the necessary extension services and capital for inputs needed, farm productivity could increase significantly. An example of such significant increases in the yield of the staple maize crop is illustrated in Table 28b under three crop production levels on the predominant good soil type of ando-luvic PHAEOZEM.

KERICHO GROUP 36

TABLE 28b: INCREASE OF YIELDS BY BETTER FARM MANAGEMENT IN AGRO-ECOLOGICAL UNIT1) LH 2 vl i or two, UhV+2

Subzone: vl i or two, Soil Unit: UhV+2 Survey Area 70 (Chepkongony)


AEZ: LH 2 WHEAT/MAIZE-PYRETHRUM ZONESubzone: vl i or two (Periods in days2): 1st rainy season >140, middle rains & 2nd rainy s. >130 days)Unit with predom. Soil: UhV+2 = well drained moderately deep to deep ando-luvic PHAEOZEMReliable rainfall: 1st rainy season >420 mm in at least 10 out of 15 years

2nd rainy season: >400 mm in at least 10 out of 15 years



I= low II= med.4) III= high5)

AEU Pot.6) I= low II=

med.4)III=high5)

AEU Pot.6)

3000

105-3

4000

3015

-5

-

----

* -

----

-

----

------

*Late mat. maize grows continu-ously



3000

101055

8000

301584

12000

60601010

14000 ------

------

------

during middle rains into 2nd rainy season



-

----

-

----

------

------

-

----

-

--

-

------



------

----

-

------

------

NOTES:1)Source: Interview of 30 farmers (if possible 10 in each level) 2004 by Divisional and Field staff2)Figures of these cereals growing periods should be reached or surpassed in 6 out of 10 years; growing periods may be considered longer due to immediately following second rainy season by middle rains. Then the second growing period is shorter than the given figures.3)Achieved average yields with average rainfall4)Farmers with medium inputs5)Farmers with high inputs of Fertiliser, insecticides, soil and water conservation6)Potential yield according to crop list and local climate of this Agro-Ecological Unit if soils are optimally fertilized, plus optimal crop management.7)Fertiliser applications are averaged at 20 % of pure nutrient*Agroecological unit potential for local maize variety is not established

KERICHO GROUP 37

Subzone LM 2 vl i or two of the Marginal Sugarcane Zone

This is the Lower Midland Marginal Sugarcane Zone with a very long cropping season and intermediate rains, separable in two variable cropping seasons as found in Soin Division, Kapsegut Location, Kapsegut Sublocation. 30 years ago it was still a Coffee Zone but global warming made sugarcane cultivation possible.The dominant soil of this Subzone is the well drained, shallow, dark brown to dark yellowish brown, gravelley sandy clay loam to sand clay, over weathering rock: eutric CAMBISOL, paralithic phase. The annual average rainfall amount is between 1200 – 1550 mm. The first rainy season can expect more than 550 – 750 mm in 10 out of 15 seasons; the middle rains and second rainy season > 420 – 520 mm. The 60% reliability of the growing periods during the 1st and 2nd seasons is more than 155 and 120 – 180 days, respectively. In farmers practice the middle rains are combined with the first ones to get the long growing period for the high yielding maize variety H 6213, then >200 and 80-140 days are the figures to expect in 6 out of 10 years.

During the first rainy season and middle rains, the following food crops are grown in order of importance: maize, intercropped maize and beans, finger millet and tomatoes. Sugarcane is grown during the whole year as a cash crop. Farmers grow mainly early maturing beans during the short rainy season. The real perennial crops grown comprise bananas and assorted fruits (see Table 27c).

Farmers in this Subzone are aware of the returns from applying fertiliser inputs to improve soil fertility as reflected in Table 26c. What is required from farmers now is sustained fertiliser and manure application to improve soil fertility that can support the continuous land utilisation that is apparent in this Subzone. There are no doubt greater benefits accruing to farmers if adequate and timely application of fertilisers is practiced. This is illustrated very well for the maize crop in Table 28c under the prevailing dominant good soil type of eutric CAMBISOL.

KERICHO GROUP 38

TABLE 28c: INCREASE OF YIELDS BY BETTER FARM MANAGEMENT IN AGRO-ECOLOGICAL UNIT1) UM 2 vl i or two, UhV+2

Subzone: vl i or two, Soil Unit: UhV+2 Survey Area 71 (Kapsegut)


AEZ: LM 2 MARGINAL SUGARCANE ZONESubzone: vl i or two (Periods in days2): 1st rainy season >155, middle rains & 2nd rainy s. >120 days)Unit with predom. Soil: UhV+2 = well drained, shallow eutric CAMBISOLReliable rainfall: 1st rainy season >600 mm in at least 10 out of 15 years




I= low II= med.4) III= high5) AEU Pot.6) I= low II=

med.4)III=high5)

AEU Pot.6)

-

----

-

----

-

----

-

----

-

----

------

Late mat. maize grows continu-ously



4000

1510

-5

9000

3520

-7

13000

5050

-15

15000 ------

------

------

during middle rains into 2nd rainy season



2500

5--6

6000

3020

-8

------

* -

----

-

--

-

------



------

----

-

------

------


KERICHO GROUP 39

BURETI AND KONOIN DISTRICTS

Subzone LH 1 p or two of the Tea-Dairy Zone

This is the Lower Highland Tea-Dairy Zone with permanent cropping possibilities divideable into two variable cropping seasons as found in Bureti Division, Litein Location, Kapkarin Sublocation The dominant soil type is the well drained, very deep to extremely deep, dark reddish brown to dusky red, friable clay, with predominantly acid humic topsoil: humic NITISOLS, with dystro-mollic NITISOLS. The annual average rainfall amount is between 1400 – 1800 mm. The first rainy season can expect more than 550 – 950 mm in 10 out of 15 seasons; the middle rains and second rainy season > 410 – 650 mm. The 60% reliability of the growing periods during the 1st rainy season is more than 160, and during the middle rains and 2nd rainy season 190 – 205 days, respectively.

In this Subzone, same crops are planted during the long and short rainy seasons. These crops in order of importance are: maize, beans and cabbages. Tea is the main perennial and major cash crop in this Subzone (see Table 27d). There are concerted efforts by farmers in using fertiliser application to improve the soil fertility and hence crop production. This conclusion can be drawn from Table 26d. If the extension staff advise farmers correctly on the fertiliser application rates and timing, and the capital for these inputs is available, significant increases in crop yields can be expected as depicted for the maize crop in Table 29a under a dystro-mollic NITISOL. The dystric condition of the nutrients content in the soil requires more fertiliser and manure than in the PHAEOZEMS or eutric CAMBISOLS.

The maize yields in production level III seem very high but the high yielding maize variety H 6213 can reach it.

KERICHO GROUP 40

TABLE 29a: INCREASE OF YIELDS BY BETTER FARM MANAGEMENT IN AGRO-ECOLOGICAL UNIT1) LH 1 p or two, UhB6.

Subzone: p or two, Soil Unit: Uh B6 Survey Area 72 (Kapkarin)


AEZ: LH 1 TEA-DAIRY ZONESubzone: p or two (Periods in days2): 1st rainy season >155, middle rains & 2nd rainy s. >150 days)Unit with predom. Soil: UhB6 = well drained very deep to extremely deep humic NITISOLSReliable rainfall: 1st rainy season >630 mm in at least 10 out of 15 years




I= low II= med.4) III= high5) AEU Pot.6) I= low II=med.4)

III=high5)

AEU Pot.6)

-

----

-

----

-

----

-

----

-

----

-

----



4000

2520

-5

7000

40405

10

14000

80602015

15000 ------

------

------

Late mat. maize grows into the 2nd r. s.



-

----

-

----

------

------

-

----

-

--

-

------



------

----

-

------

------

NOTES:1)Source: Interview of 30 farmers (if possible 10 in each level) 2004 by Divisional and Field staff2)Figures of these cereals growing periods should be reached or surpassed in 6 out of 10 years; growing periods may be considered longer due to immediately following second rainy season by middle rains. Then the second growing period is shorter than the given figures.3)Achieved average yields with average rainfall4)Farmers with medium inputs5)Farmers with high inputs of Fertiliser, insecticides, soil and water conservation6)Potential yield according to crop list and local climate of this Agro-Ecological Unit if soils are optimally fertilized, plus optimal crop management.7)Fertiliser applications are averaged at 20 % of pure nutrient

KERICHO GROUP 41

Subzone UM 1 p or two of the Coffee-Tea Zone

This is the Upper Midland Coffee-Tea Zone with permanent cropping possibilities divided into two variable cropping seasons as typified by Rorot Division, Tebesonik Location, Tebesonik Sublocation (TABLE 29b). The dominating soil is the well drained, extremely deep, dusky red to dark reddish brown, friable clay, with an acid humic topsoil: humic NITISOLS. The average annual rainfall amount is between 1400 – 1650 mm. The first rainy season can expect more than 650 – 850 mm in 10 out of 15 seasons; the middle rains and second rainy season > 440 – 610 mm. The 60% reliability of the growing periods during the 1st and 2nd seasons is more than 165 and 185 – 200 days, respectively.

This Subzone is well suited for the production of maize and beans in both seasons, i.e. long and short rainy seasons although the figures seem to be schematically optimistic. The main perennial crops grown are, which double as cash crops include: Tea, pineapples and bananas (see Table 27e). Coffee is almost out due to low prices for the producers. Compared to the high end prices in the shops it would make no severe difference if the farmers would get a few KSh more.

As it can be seen from Table 26e, farmers in this Subzone are determined to make a positive difference in their crop production by utilising fertilisers to improve soil fertility. Benefits accruing from such practice can be seen from yield increase of the stable food crop (maize) under three levels of inputs and the potential on the predominant soil of this Subzone, i.e. humic NITISOL (Table 29b). The figures given by the survey people seem to be a bit of guess work because they are exactly the same as in Table 29a although the fertiliser and manure figures should be lower due to the eutric conditions here.

But if the figures are near the reality, then we can see that compared with the Farm Survey 30 years ago, the yields of the low level farmers are with 4 000 kg/ha still almost the same although only very little manure is used (TABLE 26e). It means that the fertility of the soil is still there. Now it is necessary to keep it for the future with manure for the micro-nutrients if the yields by fertilisers are increased to those high amounts the Tables 29a & b indicate.

KERICHO GROUP 42

TABLE 29b: INCREASE OF YIELDS BY BETTER FARM MANAGEMENT IN AGRO-ECOLOGICAL UNIT1) UM 1 p or two, Um I 1

Subzone: p or two, Soil Unit: Um I 1 Survey Area 73 (Tebesonik)


AEZ: UM 1 COFFEE-TEA ZONESubzone: p or two (Periods in days2): 1st rainy season >165, middle rains & 2nd rainy s. >185 days)Unit with predom. Soil: UmI 1 = well drained extremely deep humic NITISOLSReliable rainfall: 1st rainy season >600 mm in at least 10 out of 15 years





III=high5)

AEU Pot.6)

-

----

-

----

-

----

-

----

-

----

-

----



4000

2520

-5

7000

40405

10

14000

80602015

15000 ------

------

------



-

----

-

----

------

------

-

----

6500

2020

10

------

*



------

----

-

------

------

NOTES:1)Source: Interview of 30 farmers (if possible 10 in each level) 2004 by Divisional and Field staff2)Figures of these cereals growing periods should be reached or surpassed in 6 out of 10 years; growing periods may be considered longer due to immediately following second rainy season by middle rains. Then the second growing period is shorter than the given figures.3)Achieved average yields with average rainfall4)Farmers with medium inputs5)Farmers with high inputs of Fertiliser, insecticides, soil and water conservation6)Potential yield according to crop list and local climate of this Agro-Ecological Unit if soils are optimally fertilized, plus optimal crop management.7)Fertiliser applications are averaged at 20 % of pure nutrient*Potential not yet determined under this agroecological unit

KERICHO GROUP 43

BOMET, CHEPALUNGU AND SOTIK DISTRICTS

Subzone LH 2 vl i or two of the Wheat/Maize – Pyrethrum Zone

This is the Lower Highland Wheat/Maize-Pyrethrum Zone with a very long cropping season and intermediate rains, separable in two variable cropping seasons and intermediate rains located in Bomet Division, Itembe Location, Kabisoge Sublocation. The dominating soil type in this Subzone is an association of: imperfectly drained, deep, very dark grayish brown to very dark grey, very firm clay, abruptly underlying a topsoil of friable, silty clay loam; on staright to convex slopes (60-70%) eutric PLANOSOLS and: imperfectly drained, deep, very dark greyish brown to very dark grey, very firm, cracking clay; in places sodic; on interfluves (30-40%) chromic VERTISOLS. The annual average rainfall amount is between 1200 – 1500 mm. The first rainy season can expect more than (500) – 800 mm in 10 out of 15 seasons; the middle rains and second rainy season > 320 – 500 mm. The 60% reliability of the growing periods during the 1st and 2nd seasons is more than 140 and 130 – 200 days, respectively.

In this Subzone, the main food crops grown during the first rainy season in order of importance are: maize, beans and finger millet. During the second rainy season, the only crop reported being grown are beans. The most important perennial crops listed are bananas. (see Table 27f ). A close examination of Table 26f shows that farmers in this Subzone are not applying chemical fertilisers to enhance the soil fertility status in order to boost crop production. For example, there was no farmer who reported applying nitrogen fertiliser to improve soil fertility. There were however a few farmers who are utilising animal manure during planting. There is an urgent need to educate farmers in this Subzone on the importance of applying farm inputs in the form of fertilisers to boost their crop productivity. This is expected to be done by the extension service division. If the farmers in this Subzone change their approach towards farming, i.e. increased nitrogen fertiliser and manure application, significant increases in the yield of the staple maize crop can be achieved as illustrated in Table 30a under three crop production levels on the predominant soil type of eutric PLANOSOLS.

KERICHO GROUP 44

TABLE 30a: INCREASE OF YIELDS BY BETTER FARM MANAGEMENT IN AGRO-ECOLOGICAL UNIT1) LH 2 vl i or two, UhV+2

Subzone: vl i or two, Soil Unit: UhV+2 Survey Area 74 (Kabisoge)


AEZ: LH 2 WHEAT/MAIZE-PYRETHRUM ZONESubzone: vl i or two (Periods in days2): 1st rainy season >140, middle rains & 2nd rainy s. >130 days)Unit with predom. Soil: UhV+2 = imperfectly drained eutric PLANOSOLSReliable rainfall: 1st rainy season >550 mm in at least 10 out of 15 years

2nd rainy season: >480 mm in at least 10 out of 15 years




III=high5)

AEU Pot.6)

2500

-5-3

3500

-10

-5

-

----

* -

----

-

----

------

Late mat. maize grows continu-ously



3000

-10

-5

4000

-15

-6

8000

-301012

14000 ------

------

------

into the 2nd rainy season



-

----

-

----

------

------

-

----

-

--

-

------



------

----

-

------

------

NOTES:1)Source: Interview of 30 farmers (if possible 10 in each level) 2004 by Divisional and Field staff2)Figures of these cereals growing periods should be reached or surpassed in 6 out of 10 years; growing periods may be considered longer due to immediately following second rainy season by middle rains. Then the second growing period is shorter than the given figures.3)Achieved average yields with average rainfall4)Farmers with medium inputs5)Farmers with high inputs of Fertiliser, insecticides, soil and water conservation6)Potential yield according to crop list and local climate of this Agro-Ecological Unit if soils are optimally fertilized, plus optimal crop management. The figure given here by the DAO is too high for this soil.7)Fertiliser applications are averaged at 20 % of pure nutrient*Agroecological unit potential for local maize variety not yet established

KERICHO GROUP 45

Subzone UM 3 m/l^(m/s) i of the Marginal Coffee Zone

This is the Upper Midland Marginal Coffee Zone with a medium to long cropping season followed by a medium to short one and intermediate rains located in Siongiroi Division, Bingwa Location, Kap-Ole-Seroi Sublocation. The dominating soil type in this Subzone is the imperfectly to poor drained, deep, black, very firm clay, abruptly underlying a topsoil of friable loam, with slightly calcareous deeper subsoil: eutric PLANOSOLS. The annual average rainfall amount is between 1150 – 1300 mm. The first rainy season can expect more than 400 – 600 mm in 10 out of 15 seasons; the middle rains and second rainy season > 280 – 390 mm. The 60% reliability of the growing periods during the 1st and 2nd seasons is more than 155 and 115 – 135 days, respectively.

A variety of crops are grown in this Subzone during the long rainy season. In order of importance, these include: maize, beans, sorghum, kales, tomatoes, sweet potatoes and soybeans. During the short rainy season (most planting starts already in the middle rains), the following crops in order of importance too are grown: maize, beans, tomatoes, sweet potatoes and soybeans. One can discern the similarity of crops in both seasons. The perennial crops grown are some coffee and bananas (see Table 27g).

Results of the Farm Survey showed that no farmers in this Subzone reported using any chemical fertiliser inputs to improve soil fertility (see Table 26g), except for farm yard manure, which again is applied at very low rates. This trend is counter-productive in ensuring food security for the farmers in this Subzone. This Subzone presents itself as a “hot spot” in terms of wanting urgent extension service intervention to turn around the way farmers are conducting their farming enterprises. Given the type of crops they grow in both seasons (Table 27g), it is imperative that they apply adequate fertilisers to the soil in order to improve the yield of these crops. The smallholder farmers in this subzone cannot escape the ‘poverty trap’ unless they intensify fertiliser use application on their crop fields. Small scale credits for it are necessary. Should there be a positive change towards applying fertilisers and manure to improve their soil fertility, crop yield increases could be realized as evidenced by the staple crop maize (Table 30b) on the dominant eutric PLANOSOLS found in this Subzone. Currently, the farmers in this Subzone are far below the potential maize yield due to lacking fertiliser application to the soil (even if the figure of the potential is considered to be too high, see Table 30a, footnote 6).

KERICHO GROUP 46

TABLE 30b: INCREASE OF YIELDS BY BETTER FARM MANAGEMENT IN AGRO-ECOLOGICAL UNIT1) UM 3 m/l^(m/s) i, PvR2

Subzone: m/l^(m/s) i Soil Unit, Pv R 2 Survey Area 75 (Kap-Ole-Seroi)


AEZ: UM 3 MARGINAL COFFEE ZONESubzone: m/l^(m/s) i (Periods in days2): 1st rainy season >155, middle rains & 2nd rainy s. >125 days)Unit with predom. Soil: PvR2 = Imperfectly to poorly drained eutric PLANOSOLSReliable rainfall: 1st rainy season >460 mm in at least 10 out of 15 years





III=high5)

AEU Pot.6)

-

----

-

----

-

----

-

----

-

----

------



2000

---5

4000

---7

5500

---9

11000 ------

------

------



1500

---2

2500

---4

------

* 1800

---3

3500

--

5

-----

*



------

----

-

------

------


KERICHO GROUP 47

Subzone UM 4 m i^f(s) of the Maize-Sunflower Zone

This is the Upper Midland Maize-Sunflower Zone with a medium cropping season, intermediate rains, followed by a (weak) fully short cropping season found in Sigor Division, Sigor Location, Kipkeigei Sublocation. The dominant soil type in this Subzone is the imperfectly drained, deep, black to very dark greyish brown, very firm, cracking clay, with a calcareous deeper subsoil; in places saline and sodic: pellic VERTISOLS. The annual average rainfall amount is between 1000 – 1200 mm. The first rainy season can expect more than 300 – 480 mm in 10 out of 15 seasons; the middle rains and second rainy season > 230 – 350 mm. The 60% reliability of the growing periods during the 1st and 2nd seasons is more than 130 and 75 – 115 days, respectively.

A variety of crops are grown in this Subzone during the first rainy season. In order of importance are: maize, beans, sorghum, kales, tomatoes and sweet potatoes. In the second rainy seasons, the crops are restricted to: maize, beans and tomatoes. It would appear that tomatoes and kales are mainly grown as high value crops for household additional income. Bananas and assorted fruits comprise the list of permanent crops reported as being grown by the farmers in this Subzone (see Table 27h).

An examination of Table 26h shows that farmers in this Subzone do not use any nitrogen fertiliser to improve the soil fertility status on their farms. The absence of nitrogen fertiliser application explains the low maize crop yields attained in this Subzone, even though ideally, its supposed to be a maize growing zone. Optimum agroecological unit potential for say maize cannot be realized under ‘marginal’ crop husbandry as it is presently the case. If farmers take up agricultural as a business, and concomitantly replenish the soils with the necessary fertiliser inputs, significant maize yields can be realized as shown in Table 30c on the dominant sodic pellic VERTISOLS.

KERICHO GROUP 48

TABLE 30c: INCREASE OF YIELDS BY BETTER FARM MANAGEMENT IN AGRO-ECOLOGICAL UNIT1) UM 4 m i^f(s), PnB+ 1

Subzone: m i^(f/s), Soil Unit: PnB+1 Survey Area 76 (Kipkeigei)


AEZ: UM 3 MARGINAL COFFEE ZONESub-zone: m i^f(s) (Periods in days2): 1st rainy season >130, middle rains & 2nd rainy s. >100 days)Unit with predom. Soil: PnB+1: Imperfectly to poorly drained sodic pellic VERTISOLSReliable rainfall: 1st rainy season >400 mm in at least 10m out of 15 years





III=high5)

AEU Pot.6)

-

----

-

----

-

----

-

----

-

----

------



3000

-15

-5

6000

-25

-7

8500

-40

-10

13000 ------

------

------



2500

-5-3

4000

-10

-6

------

* 3800

-5-5

6500

-10

12

*-----



------

----

-

------

------


KERICHO GROUP 49

3.4.6 FERTILISER AND MANURE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPORTANT AGRO-ECOLOGICAL UNITS

The Fertiliser Use Recommendation Project of the GTZ (FURP) from 1986 till 1992 had 2 trial sites in the former Kericho District; one at Sosiot in Agro-Ecological Zone LH 1 (on humic Nitisols), representing the central Tea-Dairy Zone and one at Chebunyo in Agro-Ecological Zone UM 4 (on Planosols and Vertisols), representing the Southern Wheat/Maize-Pyrethrum Zone, LH 2, the Southern Wheat/(Maize)-Barley Zone, LH 3, and the Maize-Sunflower Zone, UM 4. These soil units are covering most parts of the district group. In the south-eastern part of the district group very fertile mollic Andosols associated with ando-eutric Cambisols are dominating the Southern Tea-Dairy Zone, LH 1, as well as parts of the Southern Wheat/Maize-Pyrethrum Zone, LH 2. These soils are stretching into Nakuru district group and were analyzed during the FURP trials at Mau Summit Station.Recommended rates of an Agro-Ecological Unit (AEU) increase towards the wetter subzones and decrease into the dry ones if the soil unit extends there (see small maps). Generally, we have tended to lower the rates due to the low financial base of the smallholder farmers. If a system could be put in place to give the starter fertiliser on credit, repayable with part of the money obtained from harvest, then higher rates would be used by the farmers. The optimum can be calculated from the yield functions in MURIUKI & QURESHI (2001)1. In the long run the optimal amount must be given to maintain the nutrient content. Some quantities for this can be seen in chapter 3.1 under the ‘General Remarks’ section.Higher application rate recommendations are given in the Smallholder Farming Handbook of the IRACC and MSS, Nairobi 1997, but the economic investment and risk is too high for the local farmers. A rural small credit system for the inputs could help a lot. Where scientific sources for quantifying the rates are lacking, some conclusions can be drawn from the difference of inputs and yields between the low and high production levels of the Farm Survey 2004. An empty column in the recommendation tables denoted as “Other Nutrients Recommended” does not mean that there is nothing to be done but it is because of lack of trial data. Symptoms of deficiencies and methods of addressing these can be found in MURIUKI & QURESHI (2001), Table 1&2, p.22-23.Finally it must be emphasized once more that fertilising alone will increase the yields only for some few years. The micronutrients that are not included in the fertiliser become exhausted very fast. Manuring almost up to the full return of the extracted nutrients is a must in order to have a stable agrobiological system for continuous sustainable production2. This advice is also valid for the fertile volcanic soils in the district, which still have a high nutrient content. This was shown by the example of the Andosols on the control plots during the 5 years’ FURP cultivation at Mau Summit/Nakuru district group, where most of the nutrients decreased significantly3. However, most of the FURP trials in former Kericho District also demonstrated that the application of Farm Yard Manure (FYM) led to a stabilization, even a slight increase of crop yields as well as to an improvement of org. C, pH and other nutrients (like P and Mg) in the long run; this is also positive for nitrogen mineralization and the improvement of soil physical quality (e.g. water storage capacity and plant available soil water, infiltration, aeration) and of the biological parameters (see Table 31a - 31g). In some cases the application of N and P fertilizer was not necessary due to the high (natural) nutrient content of the soils.

____________________________1 MURIUKI, A.W. & QURESHI, J.N. (2001): Fertiliser Use Manual.- Nairobi 2 Southern China has parts with similar soils to Rift Valley Province and stabilized productivity there for hundreds of years by returning the kitchen waste as well as human and animal excrements to the fields. The organic material could be used together with the urea for biogas production first to reduce the hygienic and energy problems. Ecosan toilets are a solution for households to produce manure.3 see Chapter 2.5, Table IX

KERICHO GROUP 50

KERICHO GROUP 51

KERICHO GROUP 52

KERICHO GROUP 53

TABLE 31a: FERTILISER AND MANURE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE AGRO-ECOLOGICAL UNITS of the Tea-Dairy Zone LH 1 p or two, Tea and Coffee Zone UM 1 p or two & UM 2 vl i or two; Soils UhB 6 and RBA

Crop varieties and Season

Av. Exp. Yield + Response-curve

Recommended Fertiliser Rates 1

Average Yield Increase if this Rate is Applied

Average Yield Increase if 5t/

ha Manure are Applied

Other Nutrients Recom-

mended 2kg/ha kg/ha * kg/haFirst rainy seasonHybrid maize (H 625) 1 4287 + 0.23 NP 50 K2O 290 1100 kg Lime 3

Hybrid maize (H 625) & beans (GLP 2) 1

3257 + 0.25 NP - - - “

Beans (GLP 2) 1 446 + 5.3 P 50 K2O 100 - “Potatoes (Annet) 9520 + 53.4 P 75 P2O5

5 4000 2800 kg “ Cabbages (Copenhagen) 9430 + 742 P –

6.18 P250 P2O5

5 21650 2450 kg “

Second rainy season 6

Permanent cropsTea 4 ca. 2500 150 N + 30

P2O5 ca. 4000 - “

Coffee

Bananas in UM 1&2

uneconomic with present prices

Sources: muriuki, A.W. & qureshi, J.N.: Fertiliser Use Manual.- Nairobi 2001, p.102-103; Information Research and Communication Centre (IRACC): Small Holder Farming Handbook for Self Employment.- Nairobi 1997, p. 174; KARI (Ed.): Fertilizer Use Recommendations. Vol. 15, Kericho District.- Fertiliser Use Recommendation Project (FURP), Nairobi ca. 1997. The Agro-ecological Unit of the trial site is underlined,

1 No N and P fertilizer recommended on undepleted soils due to high level of organic C and humus content; monocropped maize is more successful than intercropped with beans (FURP, p. 8).2 Soil tests are recommended regularly (3-4 years) to monitor soil pH, N, P, cations and organic C as well as K and Ca (FURP, p. 8; MURIUKI & QURESHI, 2001, p. 102). 3 Liming with calcitic lime should be considered if a further decline is monitored (FURP, p. 8), thus improving the Ca : Mg ratio (MURIUKI & QURESHI, 2001, p. 102). 4 IRACC recommends one year after planting 20 gm of NPK (25:5:5) per bush, after 2 years 30 gm, after 3 years 50 gm.5 Application at planting6 No experiments performed during the second rainy season.* The actual conversion into the real nutrient content can be seen in Annex table I, p. 35 and II, p.55.

KERICHO GROUP 54

KERICHO GROUP 55

TABLE 31b: FERTILISER AND MANURE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE AGRO-ECOLOGICAL UNITS of the Wheat/Maize- Pyrethrum Zone LH 2 vl i or two, Wheat/Maize-Barley Zone LH 3 vl/l i, Maize-(Coffee)-Zone UM 3 m/l ^ (m/s) i and Maize-SunflowerZoneUM 4 fm i ^f(s); Soils UpB+A, Pn G+1, PnN+2 and PvP 2



Recommended Fertiliser

Rates





mended 7kg/ha kg/ha * kg/haFirst rainy seasonHybrid maize (H 625) 1, 2 7490 - - - -Hybrid maize (H 625) & beans (GLP 2) 3

3200 + 20.7 N 75 N 4 1550 - -

Beans (GLP 2) 1 130 - - - -Potatoes (Annet) 1 10663 - - - - Cabbages (Copenhagen) 11183 + 94.9 N +

213 P75 N, 75 P2O5

5 23100 3900 kg 40 kg S/ha (as Amm. Sulfate)


Semi-perennial cropsPyrethrum (at higher places)

300 1 teaspoon of DSP per planting hole before planting, after 2 months 1 kg CAN or ASN per 80 m of row

600-700 - -

Permanent cropsCoffee uneconomic

with present prices

Sources: muriuki, A.W. & qureshi, J.N.: Fertiliser Use Manual.- Nairobi 2001, p.102-103; Information Research and Communication Centre (IRACC): Small Holder Farming Handbook for Self Employment.- Nairobi 1997, p. 183; KARI (Ed.): Fertilizer Use Recommendations. Vol. 15, Kericho District.- Fertiliser Use Recommendation Project (FURP), Nairobi ca. 1997. The Agro-ecological Unit of the trial site is underlined.

1 No response to N and P fertilizer (FURP, p. 11); however, continuous cropping will lead to nutrient mining and a decline in soil fertility (FURP, p. 12).2 Pastures should be incorporated into rotation systems with monocropped maize (regeneration of natural soil fertility; FURP, p. 12). 3 Susceptible to waterlogging in very wet years and drought in drier years; drainage should be improved (FURP, p. 10). 4 Application: 25 kg at planting, 50 kg as top dressing (FURP, p. 12).5 Application of N: 25 kg at planting, 50 kg as top dressing (FURP, p. 11).6 No experiments performed during the second rainy season.7 Monitoring of soil fertility should continue every three to four years (FURP, p. 12).* The actual conversion into the real nutrient content can be seen in Annex table I, p. 35 and II, p.55.

KERICHO GROUP 56

KERICHO GROUP 57

TABLE 31c: FERTILISER AND MANURE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE AGRO-ECOLOGICAL UNITS of the Southern Tea- Dairy Zone LH 1 p or two and the Wheat/Maize-Pyrethrum Zone LH 2 vl i or two, Soil RPA




Rates





mended 6kg/ha kg/ha * kg/haFirst rainy seasonHybrid maize (H 625) 1 4100 + 19.3 P 75 P2O5 1448 200 kg Lime 5

Hybrid maize (H 625) & beans (GLP 2) or garden peas (local)

2701 + 55.2 P – 0.34 P2

50 P2O5 1910 - “

Beans (GLP 2; intercropped with maize)

208 - - - “

Garden peas (local; intercropped with maize)

328 + 34.6 P – 0.64 P2

20 P2O5 436 “

Potatoes (R. Tana) 5154 + 57.2 P 75 P2O5 4290 500 kg “ Cabbages (Copenhagen) 19190 + 926 P –

6.54 P265 P2O5 32500 3600 kg “


Maize (H 625) 745 + 86.9 P – 0.78 P2 – 0.28 NP

45 P2O5 2330 - -

Maize (H 625) & beans (GLP 2) or garden peas (local) 3

1072 + 23.2 P 75 P2O5 1740 - -

Garden peas (local) 57 - - - -


300 1 teaspoon of DSP per pl. hole, after 2 months 1 kg CAN or ASN per 80 m of row

600-700 - -


P2O5 ca. 4000 - “

Sources: muriuki, A.W. & qureshi, J.N.: Fertiliser Use Manual.- Nairobi 2001, p.116-117; Information Research and Communication Centre (IRACC): Small Holder Farming Handbook for Self Employment.- Nairobi 1997, p. 174, 183; KARI (Ed.): Fertilizer Use Recommendations. Vol. 17, Nakuru (& Narok) District.- Fertiliser Use Recommendation Project (FURP), Nairobi ca. 1997. The AEZ of the trial site is underlined.

1 The initial high yields of maize can probably be attributed to the application of farm yard manure at the start of the experiments (FURP, p. 1).2 Cultivation of maize, beans, peas and other crops during the second season is not recommended due to unfavourable/unreliable rainfall; instead, farmers are advised to grow green manures or leave the land fallow for regeneration of natural fertility (FURP, p. 10). 3 Yields of maize were slightly improved later in the experiment due to N-fixation by the legumes (FURP, p. 10). 4 IRACC recommends one year after planting 20 gm of NPK (25:5:5) per bush, after 2 years 30 gm, after 3 years 50 gm.5 1.5 – 2.5 t/ha for meeting the decline of pH (FURP, p. 4).6 Monitoring of soil fertility should continue every three to four years (FURP, p. 1).* The actual conversion into the real nutrient content can be seen in Annex table I, p. 35 and II, p.55.

KERICHO GROUP 58

KERICHO GROUP 59

TABLE 31d: FERTILISER AND MANURE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE AGRO-ECOLOGICAL UNITS of the Southern Wheat/ Maize-Barley Zone LH 3 vl/l i or two, Soil FB+ 1




Rates



ha Manure are Applied 2

Other Nutrients Recom-mended kg/ha kg/ha * kg/ha

First rainy seasonHybrid maize (H 625)

5387 + 10.2 N - 1 - 200 kg -

Hybrid maize (H 625) & beans (GLP 2)

4859 - 1 - Maize: 200 kgBeans: 70 kg

-

Potatoes (B 53) 8388 - 1 - 2100 kg 3 - Cabbages (Copenhagen) 16596 + 126 P 75 P2O5 9450 2750 kg 3 -


Sources: muriuki, A.W. & qureshi, J.N.: Fertiliser Use Manual.- Nairobi 2001, p.118-119, revised; KARI (Ed.): Fertilizer Use Recommendations. Vol. 17, (Nakuru &) Narok District.- Fertiliser Use Recommendation Project (FURP), Nairobi ca. 1997

1 As soils contain still fairly high amounts of nitrogen and organic matter, yield increase of maize and beans as well as potatoes was weak with regard to the application of N-fertilizer (FURP, p. 17); additionally, under the current price ratio for maize and fertilizer, application of N-fertilizer seems to be uneconomic (FURP, p. 18).2 Application of farm yard manure in combination with mineral fertilizer showed no significant response (FURP, p. 17); due to the still high organic matter content of the soils, there was only a slight increase in yields (FURP, p. 18). 3 7.5 t/ha (FURP, p. 17). 4 No experiments performed during the second rainy season.* The actual conversion into the real nutrient content can be seen in Annex table I, p. 35 and II, p.55.

KERICHO GROUP 60

KERICHO GROUP 61

TABLE 31e: FERTILISER AND MANURE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE AGRO-ECOLOGICAL UNITS of the Wheat-Pyrethrum Zone UH 2, the Tea- Dairy Zone LH 1 p or two and the Wheat/ Maize-Pyrethrum Zone LH 2 vl i or two; Soils UhB 1 & UmB 1








mended 2kg/ha kg/ha * kg/haFirst rainy seasonHybrid maize (H 625) 3 4181 + 18.8 N +

0.07 P275 N 1410 400 kg 5 -

Local maize & beans 5630 + 18.9 N 75 N 1420 (maize) - - Beans (GLP 2) 731 + 2.7 P 45 P2O5 120 - - Potatoes (Annet) 13294 + 224 P –

1.66 P230 P2O5 6720 ca. 5000 kg 5 -

Finger millet 1672 + 47.6 P – 0.27 P2

65 P2O5 1950 ca. 1500 kg 5 -

Second rainy seasonHybrid maize (H 511) 3 3271 + 20.9 N 75 N 1570 - -Local maize & beans 4858 + 60.7 N –

0.52 N2 + 14.4 P40 N 1600 (maize) - -

Beans (GLP 2) 633 + 18.9 P – 0.10 P2

45 P2O5 650 ca. 500 kg 5 -


P2O5 ca. 4000 - -

Sources: muriuki, A.W. & qureshi, J.N.: Fertiliser Use Manual.- Nairobi 2001, p.81, 82 & 83; Information Research and Communication Centre (IRACC): Small Holder Farming Handbook for Self Employment.- Nairobi 1997, p. 174; KARI (Ed.): Fertilizer Use Recommendations. Vol. 8, Kisii District.- Fertiliser Use Recommendation Project (FURP), Nairobi ca. 1996. The most related AEU to the trial site in Kisii D. is underlined.

1 Effect of P application decreased over the years due to a decrease of the P content of the soil.2 K application showed no significant effect. Soil tests are recommended regularly to monitor soil pH, N, P, cations and organic C. 3 Maize yields decreased sharply over the years, partly due to management problems (FURP, p. 7). Therefore, rotation with other crops is recommended in order to reduce the incidence of pests and diseases. On the other part the decrease of yields is due to the exhaustion of non-given nutrients. 4 IRACC recommends one year after planting 20 gm of NPK (25:5:5) per bush, after 2 years 30 gm, after 3 years 50 gm.5 Results for maize not very significant (FURP, p. 7), but it is necessary; increase for the other crops significant (estimations acc. to results of FURP experiments at Kiamokama) *The actual conversion into the real nutrient content can be seen in Annex table I, p. 35 and II, p.55.

KERICHO GROUP 62

KERICHO GROUP 63

TABLE 31f: FERTILISER AND MANURE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE AGRO-ECOLOGICAL UNITS of the Coffee Zones UM 2-3; Soil Um I 1 and Uh I+ 1








mended 2kg/ha kg/ha * kg/haFirst rainy seasonHybrid maize (H 625) 3109 + 60.4 P -

0.46 P2 + 0.16 NP50 P2O5 1870 1270 kg Lime

Local maize & beans 2717 + 65.6 P – 0.49 P2

50 P2O5 2060 (maize) - “

Potatoes (Annet) 10609 + 138 P 75 P2O5 10350 8300 kg “ Finger millet 609 + 18.8 P –

0.21 P215 P2O5 235 - “

Second rainy seasonHybrid maize (H 511) 1473 + 6.2 N +

49.8 P – 0.34 P240 P2O5 1450 600 kg “

Local maize & beans 1562 + 56.5 P – 0.53 P2 + 0.22 NP

40 P2O5 1410 (maize) - “

Beans (GLP 2) 225 + 8.9 P – 0.05 P2

- 3 - - “

Potatoes (Annet) 31591 + 94.4 P 75 P2O5 7080 660 kgCabbage (Sugar loaf) 15900 + 965 P –

7.1 P265 P2O5 32730 6700 kg

Permanent cropsCoffee uneconomic

with present prices

Sources: muriuki, A.W. & qureshi, J.N.: Fertiliser Use Manual.- Nairobi 2001, p.81, 82 & 83, and conclusions from the Farm Survey 2004; Information Research and Communication Centre (IRACC): Small Holder Farming Handbook for Self Employment.- Nairobi 1997, p. 174; KARI (Ed.): Fertilizer Use Recommendations. Vol. 8, Kisii District.- Fertiliser Use Recommendation Project (FURP), Nairobi ca. 1996

1 Experiments with N application: Maize responded weakly; the other crops did not respond due to the still high N content of the soil.2 Soil tests are recommended regularly to monitor soil pH, N, P, cations and organic C. 3 Beans show very low response to P fertilizer, in particular when grown as an intercrop with maize; possible reasons: stronger competition of maize, lacking micronutrients, inoculation with rhizobia (more experimentation should be performed; FURP, p. 4). *The actual conversion into the real nutrient content can be seen in Annex table I, p. 35 and II, p.55.

KERICHO GROUP 64

KERICHO GROUP 65

TABLE 31g: FERTILISER AND MANURE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE AGRO-ECOLOGICAL UNITS of the Northern Wheat/ Maize-Pyrethrum Zone LH 2 vl i or two, Soil UhV+ 2




Rates



ha Manure are Applied 2

Other Nutrients Recom-mended kg/ha kg/ha * kg/ha

First rainy seasonHybrid maize (H 511, 512, 625)

5387 + 10.2 N - 1 - 200 kg -

Hybrid maize (H 511, 512, 625) & beans (GLP 2)

4859 - 1 - Maize: 200 kgBeans: 70 kg

-

Potatoes (B 53) 8388 - 1 - 2100 kg 3 - Cabbages (Copenhagen) 16596 + 126 P 75 P2O5 9450 2750 kg 3 -



300 1 teaspoon of DSP per pl. hole, after 2 months 1 kg CAN or ASN per 80 m of row

600-700 - -

Sources: muriuki, A.W. & qureshi, J.N.: Fertiliser Use Manual.- Nairobi 2001, p.118-119; Information Research and Communication Centre (IRACC): Small Holder Farming Handbook for Self Employment.- Nairobi 1997, p. 183; KARI (Ed.): Fertilizer Use Recommendations. Vol. 17, (Nakuru &) Narok District.- Fertiliser Use Recommendation Project (FURP), Nairobi ca. 1997

1 As soils contain fairly high amounts of nitrogen and organic matter, yield increase of maize and beans as well as potatoes was weak with regard to the application of N-fertilizer (FURP, p. 17); additionally, under the current price ratio for maize and fertilizer, application of N-fertilizer seems to be uneconomic (FURP, p. 18).2 Application of farm yard manure in combination with mineral fertilizer showed no significant response (FURP, p. 17); due to the still high organic matter content of the soils there was only a slight increase in yields (FURP, p. 18). 3 7.5 t/ha (FURP, p. 17). 4 No experiments performed during the second rainy season.* The actual conversion into the real nutrient content can be seen in Annex table I, p. 35 and II, p.55.

3.4.7 FINAL STATEMENTS

I. SUSTAINING AND IMPROVING THE SOIL FERTILITY

The nutrients in the soil are the base for plant life and therefore for human life, too. Fertilizer alone cannot help enough because even the lacking of one of the many required nutrients is reducing the yield. Therefore, even although the yield increase by manure is not very convincing at the first glance, it is for the sustainability of the agricultural production necessary to keep the yield increase by fertilizer at the reached level for many years. If there is no manure of animals available it must be delivered by humans. It can be applied hygienically by a kind of ecosan-toilets if about seven pails covered by a glass sheet are used. Urea should be put in an extra pail, mixed with two parts of water in zones 1 & 2, with three parts in the drier zones 3 & 4 and be given directly to the crops (not touching the vegetables). Regarding the excrements in the pails, after some weeks in the sun most germs or amoebs are killed by the sunrays and heat. One pail (plus rubbish and ashes) per each second day should be carried to the fields, filled in holes or furrows, mixed there with soil for better transfer of the nutrients, and covered with earth to avoid runoff loss would be the easiest way. Better would be more pails and leave it longer, up to six months. With some investment and if additional dung from livestock is available, basins for biogas are reasonable to be built (four cbm cost about 10 - 15 000 KSh 2009, the minimum size for a household). Schools may have big ones called biodigesters. This program was started by GTZ and is now carried on also by other donors. Tithonia, the bush with yellow flowers, grows very well at the roadsides. Its branches give a very nutrious mulch when deployed on the fields.

II. ENABLING THE FARMERS TO CONTINUE

The productive work of the farmers is the base of all human life. They can only continue if they have at least the comparable minimum income of employees. Otherwise the whole system can collapse (see final table): Most young people will not continue to produce food and cash crops. They run to town in hope for a better life but most of them cannot succeed. Therefore the government should encourage and subsidize farmers as Malawi does it successfully. The majority of farmers in the Kericho Group of districts do not have enough land to produce the necessary income (compare the population and land tables with tables 32 and 33). Production must be intensified there, but the capital for the necessary investments cannot come out of the small production. Therefore the National Agricultural Accelerated Input Access Program with its subsidized package of seeds and fertilizers for poor families is a big help. On the other hand, family planning is definitely necessary to avoid further split up of the land.The small farmers in the AEZs LH 1 and UM 1 where they can plant tea are in the best position. In AEZs LH 2 and UM 2, where pyrethrum resp. coffee have been the cash crops but are now declining to minimum profit, the sugar substitute Stevia is an emerging crop which promises a certain income.

KERICHO GROUP 66

TABLE 32: BASIC NEEDS OF A RURAL FAMILY OF 5 PERSONS PER YEAR (PRICES 2010) IN AEZ UM2 & 3 OF KIPKELION DISTRICT

Basic Necesseties Costs in KSh1.5 bags of maize per head = 7.5 x 90 kg = 675 kg own prod.-certified seed (1acre) 2 000-fertilizer (1 acre - 50 kg) 3 000-top dressing (1 acre - 50 kg) 2 400-others including chemicals 1 0000.5 bags of beans per head own prod.-seeds 10 kg 1 500-fertilizer (intercropped with maize) -Sugar 8 kg = 40 kg 4 000Milk own prod.Oil 3 400Others, f. i. salt, bread, marg., jam, tea 3 300Soap and Omo 4 000Clothes 1500 x 5 7 500Kerosene 5 x 12 KSh x 70 4 200Wood fuel 3 000Shoes 1000 x 5 5 000Housing (depreciation, repairs) 4 000Furniture 1 000Radio (batteries) 2 000Medical care KSh 10 000 x 5 + 1 000 vet. 50 000School requirements 2 200 x 3 4 000School fees 1 in secondary school 25 000Social security 5 000Airtime 9 000Social costs (funerals, church etc.) 5 000Other expenses 8 000Total 160 000

Source: Information supplied for 2009 by DAO Kipkelion Jonathan Welgu and Johnstone Rono, actualized for 2010 by R. Jaetzold.

KERICHO GROUP 67

TABLE 33: LAND REQUIREMENT FOR BASIC NEEDS FOR A RURAL FAMILY (OF 5 PERSONS, SAMPLE) IN AEZ UM 2 & 3 OF KIPKELION DISTRICT

Items Land (acres) Gross margin (KSh)Maize and beans for food 1.0Homestead and vegetables 0.5 2 000Grazing and forage 1.0 (2 dairy cows) 109 500Grazing and forage for goats 0.2Maize for sale 1.8 76 665Beans for sale (mixed) 24 548Coffee 1.0 39 600Sorghum 0.1 8 340Tomatoes 0.2 (17 000)*Total 5.8 acres = 2.3 ha (277 653)*

without tomatoes 260 653

* Marketing of tomatoes in such quantities from Kipkelion would be difficult and expensive.

Source: Information supplied for 2009 by DAO Kipkelion Jonathan Welgu and Johnstone Rono, actualized for 2010 by R. Jaetzold

KERICHO GROUP 68

Kericho County

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Transcript of Kericho County