What grows in Afabet

Semienawi Keih Bahri, Eritrea

The season in Afabet

Rain in a typical year	About 241 mm
This season's rain	Rain close to usual — plan around about 241 mm falling roughly when it always does
What that supports	too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation, warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season
Ground this covers	3 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 88% of this area.

Agro-ecological zones covering this area
88%	too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season no rain-fed season · about 270 mm
5%	too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season no rain-fed season · about 380 mm · July to September
3%	too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season no rain-fed season · about 190 mm

last updated 16 September 2026

What grows in Afabet with irrigation

These need water applied — rain alone will not carry them here. The dates are the windows their own water supply allows.

What Divisi would not plant in Afabet

Every crop in the catalogue is scored against this district, not only the ones that work — so the list above is a decision rather than a shortlist. These are the rest, with what ruled each one out.

Passion fruit Only in patches — clears in part of this area, not across any one zone
African nightshade Only in patches — clears in part of this area, not across any one zone
Bambara groundnut Only in patches — clears in part of this area, not across any one zone
Common bean Only in patches — clears in part of this area, not across any one zone
Cowpea Only in patches — clears in part of this area, not across any one zone
Cucumber Only in patches — clears in part of this area, not across any one zone
Egusi melon Only in patches — clears in part of this area, not across any one zone
Green gram Only in patches — clears in part of this area, not across any one zone
Irish potato Only in patches — clears in part of this area, not across any one zone
Jute mallow Only in patches — clears in part of this area, not across any one zone
Lablab Only in patches — clears in part of this area, not across any one zone
Niger seed Only in patches — clears in part of this area, not across any one zone
Okra Only in patches — clears in part of this area, not across any one zone
Papaya Moderate — Water
Pearl millet Only in patches — clears in part of this area, not across any one zone
Pumpkin Only in patches — clears in part of this area, not across any one zone
Sorghum Only in patches — clears in part of this area, not across any one zone
Spider plant Only in patches — clears in part of this area, not across any one zone
Sunflower Only in patches — clears in part of this area, not across any one zone
Sweet potato Only in patches — clears in part of this area, not across any one zone
Tobacco Only in patches — clears in part of this area, not across any one zone
Watermelon Only in patches — clears in part of this area, not across any one zone
African eggplant Moderate — Slope / terrain
Amaranth Moderate — Slope / terrain
Carrot Moderate — Slope / terrain
Cotton Moderate — Slope / terrain
Eggplant Moderate — Slope / terrain
Finger millet Moderate — Slope / terrain
Fonio Moderate — Slope / terrain
Groundnut Moderate — Slope / terrain
Chilli Moderate — Slope / terrain
Lettuce Moderate — Slope / terrain
Maize Moderate — Slope / terrain
Moringa Moderate — Water
Onion Moderate — Slope / terrain
Kale Moderate — Slope / terrain
Rice Moderate — Water
Roselle Moderate — Slope / terrain
Sesame Moderate — Slope / terrain
Soybean Moderate — Slope / terrain
Sweet pepper Moderate — Slope / terrain
Swiss chard Moderate — Slope / terrain
Tomato Moderate — Slope / terrain
Wheat Moderate — Slope / terrain
Avocado Unsuitable — Water
Banana Unsuitable — Water
Beetroot Unsuitable — Water
Cabbage Unsuitable — Water
Cashew Unsuitable — Water
Cassava Unsuitable — Water
Chickpea Unsuitable — Water
Cocoa Unsuitable — Water
Coconut Unsuitable — Water
Taro Unsuitable — Water
Arabica coffee Unsuitable — Water
Robusta coffee Unsuitable — Water
Enset Unsuitable — Water
Garlic Unsuitable — Water
Ginger Unsuitable — Water
Grapefruit Unsuitable — Water
Guava Unsuitable — Water
Lemon Unsuitable — Water
Lime Unsuitable — Water
Mandarin Unsuitable — Water
Mango Unsuitable — Water
Oil palm Unsuitable — Water
Pigeon pea Unsuitable — Water
Pineapple Unsuitable — Water
Sugarcane Unsuitable — Water
Sweet orange Unsuitable — Water
Tea Unsuitable — Water
Teff Unsuitable — Water
Turmeric Unsuitable — Water
Yam Unsuitable — Water

Divisi scored 74 crops against this district's own ground; 74 came back without a sowing date.

Plan the season, not just check it

The crops and dates above are read at cells spread across Afabet, and the map colours which kind of ground each part of it is. Your own soil, slope and rainfall will shift the dates — the Divisi app works them out for your field, and dates each job that follows.

Or check your field first

Frequently asked questions

Is there a farming app that works in Afabet?

Divisi does. It reads Afabet's own rainfall, soil and terrain rather than a national average, so the planting dates and crop shortlist on this page are the same ones the app works out for a field here — then dates each job for that field, and keeps working with no signal.

Is this exact for my own field?

No — these are readings taken across Afabet, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.