2.6 Area of Study. Diagrammatic representation of the area of study Figure 2.1 Area of Study. 2.6.1 Physical Location. Kirinyaga West is one the four districts that make up Kirinyaga county, others being Kirinyaga East, Kirinyaga Central and Kirinyaga South districts. It has a geographical coverage of 210.80 square kilometers and is located between latitude-0 30 20 degrees and 0 45 00 degreesand longitude It has its headquarters at Baricho. It lies on the lower 37 00 00 and 37 28 00 degrees. slope of mt. Kenya and has one industrial town called Sagana and an administrative town, Baricho. 2.6.2 Climatic Condition. The area receives an average annual rainfall of 800-1600 mm per annum. The lower part of the region receives an average rainfall of 800m while going up the mt. Kenya the value increases till before the peak at which the values decrease again back to 800 mm. as for the temperatures, the following is a table indicating the average rainfall of the region for the last ten years degrees Celsius. JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV 11.5 13.9 13.5 15 15 13.7 12.3 12.2 12.5 14.1 13.1 The average temperature for the year hence was 12.7 degrees Celsius. 2.6.3 Soil Condition. The area has varying soil conditions as one move from one place to the next. Eighty percent is covered by loam volcanic soils that are well drained, ten percent of clay soil and ten percent of both sandy soils and rocks especially towards the peak of the mountain in the area. As for clay content, the area is covered eighty seven percent of kaolinite and the rest is composed of montorillonite. The range of soil pH in the area is 1-6.
2.6 Area of Study. Diagrammatic representation of the area of study Figure 2.1 Area of Study. 2.6.1 Physical Location. Kirinyaga West is one the four districts that make up Kirinyaga county, others being Kirinyaga East, Kirinyaga Central and Kirinyaga South districts. It has a geographical coverage of 210.80 square kilometers and is located between latitude-0 30 20 degrees and 0 45 00 degreesand longitude 37 00 00 and 37 28 00 degrees. It has its headquarters at Baricho. It lies on the lower slope of mt. Kenya and has one industrial town called Sagana and an administrative town, Baricho. 2.6.2 Climatic Condition. The area receives an average annual rainfall of 800-1600 mm per annum. The lower part of the region receives an average rainfall of 800m while going up the mt. Kenya the value increases till before the peak at which the values decrease again back to 800 mm. as for the temperatures, the following is a table indicating the average rainfall of the region for the last ten years degrees Celsius. JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV 11.5 13.9 13.5 15 15 13.7 12.3 12.2 12.5 14.1 13.1 The average temperature for the year hence was 12.7 degrees Celsius. 2.6.3 Soil Condition. The area has varying soil conditions as one move from one place to the next. Eighty percent is covered by loam volcanic soils that are well drained, ten percent of clay soil and ten percent of both sandy soils and rocks especially towards the peak of the mountain in the area. As for clay content, the area is covered eighty seven percent of kaolinite and the rest is composed of montorillonite. The range of soil pH in the area is 1-6.