EC & salinity mapping
Salt builds up slowly and costs yield quietly. Map it before it shows.
Electrical conductivity measures the dissolved salts and fertiliser in the soil. Mapped across the farm, it shows where inputs have built up, where rain has washed them below the roots, and where salt is creeping up to the point of holding the crop back.
Available now · quoted per farmWhy it matters
Many Kenyan farms irrigate from boreholes, and some boreholes carry significant salt. Every irrigation leaves a little behind. In dry areas with little rain to flush it, salinity rises season by season until sensitive crops — beans, onions, avocado, capsicum — start losing yield without any obvious symptom.
EC also tracks fertiliser: high where it has accumulated under drip lines or old fertigation, low where rain has leached it. And because conductivity follows clay and moisture content, an EC map often reveals soil texture zones that explain yield patterns nobody could account for.
Method
How we do it
- 1
Survey the ground
Conductivity measured at geo-tagged points at root depth, with soil moisture recorded alongside, because EC readings depend on moisture.
- 2
Test the water
Irrigation sources are tested for EC and pH.
- 3
Map and interpret
EC is mapped and read together with moisture and texture so salt is not confused with clay.
- 4
Advise
Which blocks need leaching or drainage, which crops suit which blocks, and whether the water source needs attention.
From finding to action
What the results change on the farm
Typical examples of how a finding turns into a decision.
| If the survey finds… | …the decision is |
|---|---|
| EC rising in irrigated blocks, low in rain-fed ones | Borehole water is salting the soil: leaching irrigation, blending water or a tolerant crop |
| High EC in a low corner | Poor drainage concentrating salt: drain before replanting |
| High EC under drip lines only | Fertiliser accumulating: reduce rate or flush |
When to order it
- On borehole-irrigated farms, every season
- Before planting salt-sensitive crops
- When a block declines for no visible reason
- Before and after changing water source
Questions
EC & salinity mapping: FAQ
What EC is too high?
It depends on the crop. Sensitive crops such as beans start losing yield around 1 dS/m in the root zone, moderately sensitive crops such as maize and potato around 1.7, and tolerant crops much higher. The report rates each block for the crops you grow.
Can salinity be fixed?
Often, yes — by leaching with better water, improving drainage, blending water sources, or choosing tolerant crops for the worst blocks. The map shows where each makes sense.
Get your farm mapped.
Mapping is quoted per farm by size and needs no installed equipment. Book a free visit and we will plan the survey with you.