Divisi
What grows in Ethiopia
The 2026 season in Ethiopia
| Rainy seasons | Two each year — two chances to plant |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | August 2026 to December 2026 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 780 mm in a typical farming district |
| Across its districts | From about 154 mm in the driest of 107 districts to about 1,811 mm in the wettest |
| Rainy seasons, district by district | Of 107 districts: one rainy season in 82 and two rainy seasons in 9 |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — November and December look heavier than usual. Make sure water can drain off the field; a wet year does more damage through waterlogging and disease than through the rain itself. |
| This season's heat | Hotter than usual — about +1.2 °C over the growing months. Heat makes the same rain do less, so a dry spell bites sooner: do not plant late, and shade or mulch what you can. |
| What that supports | enough rain for one full main crop, warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season |
| Ground this covers | 7 kinds of ground. The season below is one typical farming district's, not a figure for the whole of this area. |
| 29% | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season no rain-fed season · about 310 mm · July to September |
|---|---|
| 17% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 117 growing days · about 520 mm · March to May |
| 10% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 226 growing days · about 1,250 mm · April to November |
| 9% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 217 growing days · about 970 mm · April to November |
| 7% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 146 growing days · about 800 mm · May to October |
| 5% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 147 growing days · about 590 mm · March to June |
| 3% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 224 growing days · about 1,140 mm · March to October |
last updated 17 September 2026 · from all 107 areas within it
Ethiopia's regions
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Addis Ababa
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Afar
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Amhara
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Benishangul-Gumuz
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Central Ethiopia
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Contested
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Dire Dawa
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Gambela
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Harari
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Oromia
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Sidama
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Somali
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South Ethiopia
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South West Ethiopia
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Tigray
What grows here
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Jute mallowFavourableGrows well in 87 of 107 districts
Plant 25 Mar 2027 – 24 Apr 2027 opens in 25 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
6.9–8.7 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableSoil pH below the crop's optimum -
Common beanFavourableGrows well in 93 of 107 districts
Plant 5 Jun 2027 – 23 Jul 2027 opens in 35 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
about 2.5 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableSoil pH below the crop's optimum -
African nightshadeFavourableGrows well in 92 of 107 districts
Plant 6 Jun 2027 – 5 Aug 2027 opens in 36 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
17.1–18.0 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageable -
CowpeaFavourableGrows well in 73 of 107 districts
Plant 7 Mar 2027 – 27 Mar 2027 opens in 23 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
1.1–1.3 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableSoil pH below the crop's optimum -
WatermelonFavourableGrows well in 82 of 107 districts
Plant 27 May 2027 – 5 Aug 2027 opens in 34 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
about 35.0 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageable -
OkraFavourableGrows well in 79 of 107 districts
Plant 2 Mar 2026 – 8 Oct 2026 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 6.3 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableSoil pH below the crop's optimumSteep slope
Rain-fed. These dates are worked out from each place's own rainfall, for a field watered by the season — with irrigation a window can open earlier, close later, or come round more than once a year. Check your own field under What grows, or get the Divisi app for a calendar dated to your farm.
What grows here with irrigation
Plan the season, not just check it
The crops above are gathered from every district in Ethiopia, and the ground under them is not all the same. 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.
Support and extension
- Direct Seed Marketing
- Productive Safety Net Programme
- Rural Financial Intermediation Programme III
- Second Ethiopia Resilient Landscapes and Livelihoods Project
- Agricultural and Horticultural Extension Service
- Ethiopian Agricultural Authority
- Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research
This calendar moves
Planting windows shift with the forecast. Leave your email and we'll send what changed, and a note when planting time nears — a couple of emails a month at most.
Frequently asked questions
What crops grow well in Ethiopia?
Jute mallow, Common bean, African nightshade, Cowpea, Watermelon all rate well in Ethiopia — scored against its own rainfall, soil and terrain rather than a national average.
When should I plant Jute mallow in Ethiopia?
In Ethiopia the window for Jute mallow runs 25 Mar 2027 to 24 Apr 2027.
Is there a farming app that works in Ethiopia?
Divisi does. It reads Ethiopia'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 Ethiopia, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.