Farmers in Kiambu Sub-County have been advised to carry out soil testing to determine the right type of crops best suited for their type of soil.
Speaking in her office on Thursday, the sub-county agricultural officer Ms Jane Muigai said they should have their soil tested to establish the nutrients they need to add to their soil for enhanced production.
Muigai said testing of the soil determines the acidity in the soil and the farmer can be guided on what to do to improve on the yields.
She said many farmers continue experiencing low yields, a matter she said could be corrected by officers employed by the government to help them.
“Soil testing is key to farmers determining the best suited crop for the farms’ soil,” said Muigai.
The official said Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) centres across the county have soil laboratories which can be utilised by the farmers in enhancing their crop production.
Muigai said other services that can benefit the farmer from the centre include soil, water and tissue analysis, plant pathology assay, and environmental and microbiology testing.
“Soil testing is the only way to determine the available nutrient status in the soil to enable the farmer tell the specific fertiliser for his soil," she said.
She further said potential soil and water pollution can also be minimised when nutrient application is geared to the needs of a particular crop.