' nirrr* Mini of icaj.ltu.r National Agricultural ies Fertilizer Use Recommendation Project (Phase I) Final Annex IXX Description of tine First Priority- Sites in the Various Districts Volxome 2 Kitui District District No. : 2 "7 Nairobi, June 1987 illzear Recommendation Pro j I ) Team Team of Consultants1) Professional Staff from NAL2) Project Coordination H. Strobel (ed.) G.Hinga Project Coordinator Director NAL S.W.Nandwa Counterpart Coordinator Aaro-Climatoloaists R. Jätzold J.W. Onyango R. Rötter Soil Scientists / Surveyors R.F. van de Weg F.N. Muchena E.M.A. Smaling C.K.K. Gachene Ü.M. Kibe Soil Chemists P. Pietrowicz J.N. Qureshi P.O.S. Oduor Aaronomi sts A.Y. Allan J.O. Owuor Data Processing H. Mayr R.L. Milikau R. Dölger D.K. Wamae A. Muliro Land Surveyors R. Rötter B. Mwangi S. Wâtaka Animal Production W. Bayer 1) German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ) (German Agricultural Team (GAT)) 2) National Agricultural Laboratories ILizear Use Recommendation Project C E>li<a£3e X ) of tit Final Met d. n . J3J .: Methodology and Inventory of Existing Information : Compilation, of results from Former Fertilizer Trials In Kenya (2 Volumes) . X : Inventory of Farming Systems Research in Kenya . 2 : influence of Fertilizer Application on Ruminant Production Annex XX . 3 : Maintaining Soil Fertility with Little or No Use of Fertilizers Detailed Description of the First Priority Sites in the Various Districts : 1. Kisii 17. Narok 2. South Nyanza 18. Samburu 3. Kisumu 19. Nyandarua 4. Siaya 20. Kiambu 5. Busia 21. Muranga 6. Bungoma 22. Nyeri 7. Kakamega 23. Kirinyaga 8. Nandi 24. Embu 9. Kericho 25. Meru 10. Trans Nzoia 26. Machakos 11. Uasin Gishu 27. Kitui 12. West Pokot 28. Lamu 13. Keyo Marakwet 29. Kilifi 14. Baringo 30. Taita Taveta 15. Laikipia 31. Kwale 16. Nakuru 32. Nairobi : Description of Computer Programmes Established in Phase I Scanned from original by ISRIC - World Soil Information, as ICSU World Data Centre for Soils. The purpose is to make a safe depository for endangered documents and to make the accrued information available for consultation, following Fair Use Guidelines. Every effort is taken to respect Copyright of the materials within the archives where the identification of the Copyright holder is clear and, where feasible, to contact the originators. For questions please contact soil.isricgiwur.nl indicating the item reference number concerned. District: Kitui General Aspects 27.0 III , Volume 2 ~7 2*7 - O = General Aspects 0.1 Legend of the Soil Map of Kitui District 0.27 2 "7 - 3_ r Description of the Kitui Trial Site 1.1 Please note the following numbering mode of Tables and Maps: First Number District Number Second Number Trial Site Number Third Number Number of Table or Map within Chapter - 0.1 - District: Kitui General Aspects 27.0 Contents of Chapter 27.0: General Aspects Page 1. Climate and Soils of the District 0.3 2. Location of the Trial Site and Criteria for its Final Position 0.13 3. Names and Addresses of Government Officers Involved in FURP Activities 0.15 4. Trial Design and Execution Plan 0.16 5. Areas in Kitui District Represented by FURP Trial Sites 0.16 List of Tables Table 27.0.1 Climate in the Agro-Ecological Zones of Kitui District 0.6 Table 27.0.2 Agro-Ecological Zone and Soil Classification of the Trial Site 0.10 Table 27.0.3 Ratings of Criteria Used for Trial Site Selection 0.14 Table 27.0.4 Names and Addresses of Government Officers in the District 0.15 Table 27.0.5 Major Soil Properties and Climatic Conditions of the Agro-Ecological Units in Kitui District 0.23 List of Maps Map 27.0.1 66% Reliability of Rainfall in First Rains 0.4 Map 27.0.2 66% Reliability of Rainfall in Second Rains 0.5 Map 27.0.3 Agro-Ecological Zones and Trial Sites of the District 0.7 Map 27.0.4 Soils and the Trial Site in Kitui District 0.11 Map 27.0.5 Groupings of Soil Mapping Units Represented by Trial Sites in Kitui District 0.21 Map 27.0.6 Agro-Ecological Units in Kitui District 0.25 Legend of the Soil Map of Kitui District 0.27 - 0.2 - District: Kitui General Aspects 27\0 1. Climate and Soils of the District The central part of Kitui District consists of an undulating plateau about 1100 m in altitude, surrounded by ridges and hills which rise to 1700 m. There are only two short rainy seasons with a 66% rainfall reliability during the growing periods of 250-390 mm7 in the first rains, and 280-490 mm in the second rains. These rainy seasons are divided by two distinct arid seasons. The total annual average is between 750 and 1150 mm. Because of the evaporation and the water requirement curves of the leading crops, the rainfall is just enough to allow this area to be classified as Agro- Ecological Zone 4, i.e. UM 4 = Sunflower-Maize Zone in the Upper Midlands and LM 4 = Marginal Cotton Zone in the Lower Midlands. Due to a localised, unfavourable anomaly of temperatures (see Table 27.1.5), cotton can only be grown here up to 1080 m, compared to 1250-1500 nr further west. On the other hand, Zone UM 4 starts at such a low altitude that pigeon peas can still be grown and are widely planted, indeed more so than sunflowers, so that the name "Maize-Pigeon Pea Zone" would actually be more suitable. The highest hills trap some clouds from the south-east Trade Winds after the first rains, enabling coffee trees to survive in certain favourable locations. This is therefore a mixed zone, UM 3-4, as shown on Map 27.0.3. Downhill towards the Lower Midlands, the climate is too dry for a cotton zone and even the Marginal Cotton Zone (LM 4), which is also the driest for successful maize cultivation, is fairly restricted. Therefore, the main area of the District, the peneplain around the Central Upper Midlands, belongs to the Livestock-Millet Zone (LM 5), where early maturing bulrush millet, proso and foxtail millet should be the leading grain varieties. It should also be possible to grow very early maturing sorghum there. At present, maize is still widely planted, however, with a high risk of crop failure 1) . Especially in dry years when the rains are insufficient even for sorghum and millets, new perennial crops such as buffalo gourds (from Arizona) and marama beans (from Kalahari) may be advisable. They have edible seeds rich in protein and form nutritious tubers after a few rainy seasons. In the Ranching Zone (IL 6), the annual average rainfall ranges between 350 and 550 mm. The 66% rainfall reliability during the first rains is only 80- 100 mm and 130-150 mm during the second rains. A summary of climatic data is compiled in Table 27.0.1, which can be used as a key to the Agro-Ecological Zones Map 27.0.3. 1) For the unreliability of rainfall see H.M.H. BRAUN: The Reliability of Rainy Seasons in Machakos and Kitui Districts, Kenya Soil Survey M12, Nairobi 1977. - 0.3 - 37i»E 38°! E 39"(E Map 27.0.1 66% RELIABILITY OF RAINFALL KITUI IN AGROHUMID PERIOD OF FIRST RAINS . (March-July or less) Amounts in mm, surpasse norm, in 20 out of 30 OP» 1) More than 300 2) More than 250 3) More thnn 200 4) More than 150 5/ mid March • b.ol July 6) endol Match -b.ol June 7) end ol March • mid June Broken boundaries are uncertain because ol lack of rainfall records tint Agi CaO» German Agr Teem. R Jsotiol4 I. - 0.4 - Map 27.0.2 6% RELIABILITY OF RAINFALL IN AGROHUMID PERIOD OF SECOND RAINS (mid Oct.-b. of Feb. or less] Nov. - > Amounts in mm, surpassed 100 - m Oec\ norm, in 20 out of 30 years 150 Broken boundaries are uncertain because of tack o' rainfall records - 0.5 - Table 27.0.1 : Climate in the Agro-Ecological Zones of Kitui District Agro-Ecological Subzone Altitude Annual mean Annual av. 66% reliability 66% reliability Zone in m temperature rainfall of rainfall1) of growing period in°C in mm 1st rains 2nd rains 1st rains 2nd rains Total2) in mm in mm in days in days in days UM 3-4 Trans. Marg. s/m + s 1 340-1620 20.2-18.6 900-1 050 300-350 400-490 105-115 85-105 190-220 Co free Zone UM 4 Sunflower- s + s 1 180-1 550 21.0-19.0 850-1 000 230-330 380-450 85-105 85-105 170-210 Maize Zone LM3 s + s Very small and many sleep slopes Forest Reserve Cotton Zone s/vs+ s 800-1 000 220-300 380-450 75- 85 85-105 160-190 vs/s • s/vs 750- 880 180-220 300-380 55- 75 75- 85 130-160 Marginal 760-1 280 24.0-20.9 vs + s/vs 700- 820 150-200 280-350 45- 55 75- 85 120-140 Cotton Zone i + s/vs 720- 820 150-250 300-350 35- 45 75- 85 110-130 vs + vs/s 650- 790 150-200 220-300 45- 55 55- 75 LM5 vs+'vs 600- 780 160-200 150-220 45- 55 45- 55 Livestock- i + vs/s 760- 910 24.0-23.2 600- 750 110-150 170-300 20- 45 55- 75 Millet Zone vs+i or 1+vs 600- 650 110-160 130-180 35- 50 40- 55 i + vs 550- 630 90-Î50 150-200 20- 40 45- 55 LM6 Lower Midland br No rainfed agriculture possible except with runoff-catching techniques Ranthing Zone L5 vs+i or i+vs 450- 550 100-160 150-220 35- 50 40- 55 Lowl.