>'.r->® am i fc > MIJN !^i jv;. Mini stry of Açf:ir-icîTJ.IL National ic2u.IL Fertilizer Use (Phase X) Annex XXX Description of tln^ First Priority Sites in trie Various Districts 23 Kir Di strict District No.: 2 3 Nairobi, June 1987 IL JL z «3xr Use o. on. C 3F»liai s o X 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. Rotter Soil Scientists / Surveyors R.F. van de Weg F.N. Muchena E.M.A. Smaling C.K.K. Gachene J.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. Rotter B. Mwangi S. Wataka Animal Production W. Bayer 1) German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ) (German Agricultural Team (GAT)) 2) National Agricultural Laboratories Corv i-t-i£=; o-P tbe Fi zu : Methodology and Inventory of Existing Information Ann. ezx X Compilation. of results from Former Fertilizer Trials In Kenya (2 Volumes) À.n.ri &ZX. X X - X Inventory of Farming Systems Research in Kenya Ann X - 2. Influence of Fertilizer Application on Ruminant Production Maintaining Soil Fertility with Little or No Use of Fertilizers XXX 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 Annex XV : 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.isrictawur.nl indicating the item reference number concerned. District: Kirinyaga General Aspects 23.0 Annex III. Volume 23 Page Chapter 23-Or General Aspects 0.1 Legend of the Soil Map of Kirinyaga District 0.25 Chapter 2 3-3- = Description of the Kerugoya 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 : Kirinyaga General Aspects 23.0 Contents of Chapter 23.0: 'General Aspects Page 1. Climate and Soils of the District 0.3 2. Location of the Trial Site and Criteria for its Final Position 0.10 3. Names and Addresses of Government Officers Involved in FURP Activities 0.13 4. Trial Design and Execution Plan 0.14 5. Areas in Kirinyaga District Represented by FURP Trial Sites 0.14 List of Tables Table 23.0.1 Climate in the Agro-Ecological Zones of Kirinyaga District 0.6 Table 23.0.2 Agro-Ecological Zone and Soil Classification of the Trial Site 0.9 Table 23.0.3 Ratings of Criteria Used for Trial Site Selection 0.10 Table 23.0.4 Names and Addresses of Government Officers in the District 0.13 Table 23.0.5 Major Soil Properties and Climatic Conditions of the Agro-Ecological Units in Kirinyaga District 0.21 List of Maps Map 23.0.1 66% Reliability of Rainfall in First Rains 0.4 Map 23.0.2 66% Reliability of Rainfall in Second Rains 0.5 Map 23.0.3 Agro-Ecological Zones and the Trial Sites in the District 0.7 Map 23.0.4 Soils and Trial Sites in Kirinyaga District 0.11 Map 23.0.5 Groupings of Soil Mapping Units Represented by the Trial Site in Kirinyaga District 0.19 Map 23.0.6 Agro-Ecological Units in Kirinyaga District 0.23 Legend of the Soil Map of Kirinyaga District 0.25 - 0.2 - District: Kirinyaga General Aspects 23.0 1. Climate and Soils of the District The typical agro-ecological pattern of the south-eastern slopes of the Nyandarua Range is continued on the southern and eastern slopes of Mount Kenya due to the effects of the south-east Trade Winds increase precipitation to a maximum of > 2200 mm, the annual average being about 2500 mm. Higher up, the rainfall decreases due to the lower moisture content of the trade wind inversion. This higher altitudes are still comparatively wet but also steep so that forests or National Parks are the best land use. Due to the demands of increasing land pressure, the lower, herbaceous parts of the Tropical Alpine Zones may in future be used by those farmers living below the forests for seasonal grazing of livestock. Downwards from the 2500 m level, although rainfall decreases with altitude to about 1600 mm in a 15 km. broad zone at the 1600 m level, there is no real shortage of water which would lead to water stress for the crops. The main reasons for this relatively high water availability are the low evaporation due to the typical cloud cover and the frequent morning mists, and the high water holding capacity of the deep volcanic soils which ensure that a high proportion of the rainfall is available to plants. Below that altitude, the rainy seasons become considerably shorter, with an expectation of rainfall of less than 300 mm. in 20 out of 30 years for the first rains, and less than 250 mm. for the second rains. Considering this fact, it becomes clear that maize crop failures will occur regularly and that irrigation is advantageous in that area (e.g. Mwea Tebere). In the Agro-Ecological Zones Map 23.0.3, the typical sequence from the Tea- Dairy Zone LH 1 through the three different Coffee Zones UM 1, 2 and 3, to LM 3 (Cotton Zone) and LM 4 (Marginal Cotton Zone) is shown for the District, similar to the sequence in Murang'a District. The 66% reliability of rainfall, i.e. amount surpassed in 20 out of 30 years, is shown in Map 23.0.1 for the first rains and in Map 23.0.2 for the second rains. Evaporation, varying with altitude, ranges between 1800 mm. at 1400 m., and 1300 mm. at 2500 m. The mean annual temperatures are about 20°C at 1400 m and 12.0°C at 2500 m, respectively. A summary of climatic data is compiled in Table 23.0.1, which can be used as a key to the Agro-Ecological Zones Map 23.0.3. The UM"2 Agro-Ecological Zone is represented by the Kerugoya Trial Site (23.1). The Tea-Dairy Zone (LH 1) is represented by the two trial sites in Nyeri District. Zone UM 1 is covered by the Githunguri Trial Site in Kiambu District and UM 4 by the Makuyu Trial Site in Murang'a District. The Lower Midland Zones (LM 3 and 4) are represented by Trial Sites in Erabu and Meru Districts. The Marginal Coffee Zone (UM 3) is not represented by any of the FURP first priority trial sites. Zones UH 0 and LH 0 are Forest Zones and the Tropical Alpine Zones (TA 0, I,II) belong to the Mount Kenya National Park. - 0.3 - 37TE 37^30- Map 23.0.1 KIRINYAGA 66% RELIABILITY OF RAINFALL IN AGROHUMID PERIOD OF FIRST RAINS (March-Sept, or less) Mt. Kenya Amounts in mm, surpassed norm, in 20 out of 30 years V \ Ml. Kenya Nal. Park 1° c Broken boundaries are uncertain because ol lack ol rainfall records 25 km to 20 Nal Ag> Labs . German Agr Team. B. Jaetzold - 0.4 - 37^ E Map 23.0.2 KIRINYAGA 66% RELIABILITY OF RAINFALL IN AGROHUMID PERIOD OF SECOND RAINS (Oct.-Feb. or less) MI. Kenya Amounts in mm. surpassed norm, in 20 out of 30 years enya Nal. Park MBU 25 km Broken boundaries are uncertain 5 K) IS 20 because o( lack ol rainfall records Nat Agr Labs Gorman Agr tram. R Jai'l/.old -0.5- Table 23.0^1 : Climate in the Agro-Ecological Zones of Kirinyaga District Agro-Ecological Su ozone Altitude Annual mean Annual av. 66 % reliability 66% reliability Zone in m temperature rainfall or rainfall" of growing period in°C in mm 1st rains 2nd rains 1st rains ' 2nd rains Total'') in nun in mm in days in days in days TAO National Park Rocks and Glaciers TAI + 11 Tropical-Alpine National I'ark Moor- and Hcathlands UHO lorest Reserve l:orcst Zone LHO Torest Reserve l:oresl Zone LH 1 l/vl r, m 1 760-2 130 17.8- 14.5 1 700-2 150 900-1 100 500-620 210 or more 140-150 250-260 Tea-Dairy Zone UM 1 f lim 1 520-1 820 19.3 17.5 1 400 1 700 750-950 430-520 200 or more 130-150 230-250 Coffee-Tea Zone UM 2 m/l i m/s 1 220 1 500 600-800 400-460 170 or more 115-130 285-300 Main Coffee 1 400 1 580 20.1-19.0 m + s/m 1 200 1 250 580-620 380-430 160 or more 105-115 Zone UM 3 Marginal Coffee m/s + s 1 310-1 400 20.6-20.1 1 100 1 250 450-580 350-400 120-140 85-105 - Zone UM 4 s/m + s 950-1 200 420-500 330-350 105-115 85-105 Sunflower- 1 280-1 340 20.9-20.4 s + s 950 960 400-420 320-330 90-105 85-105 - Maize Zone LM 3 s/m + s 950-1 200 420-500 320-350 105-115 85-100 - 1 220-1 280 21.2-20.9 Cotton Zone s + s 900 1 100 380-460 280-330 85-105 80-95 LM4 s + s/vs 850-950 330-400 250-300 85-105 75-85 Marginal 1 090-1 220 22.0-21.2 s/vs•+ vs/s 800-850 300-350 200-250 75-85 55-75 - Cotton Zone LM5 Lower Midland Small transitional strip Livestock-Millet Zone ' Amounts surpassed normally in 6 out of 10 years', falling during (he agro-humid period which allows growing of most cultivated plants.