Divisi
What grows in Gambela
Ethiopia
The 2026 season in Gambela
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | April 2026 to November 2026 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 684 mm in a typical farming district |
| Across its districts | From about 680 mm in the driest of 4 districts to about 1,254 mm in the wettest |
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 684 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| This season's heat | Hotter than usual — about +1.5 °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 | 3 kinds of ground. The season below is one typical farming district's, not a figure for the whole of this area. |
| 70% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 219 growing days · about 880 mm · April to November |
|---|---|
| 16% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 280 growing days · about 1,150 mm · March to December |
| 7% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 177 growing days · about 670 mm · April to October |
last updated 17 September 2026 · from all 4 areas within it
Gambela's districts
What grows here
-
CashewFavourableGrows well in 4 of 4 districts
Plant 2 May 2027 – 31 Aug 2027 opens in 31 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
about 1.5 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageable -
MangoFavourableGrows well in 4 of 4 districts
Plant 22 Apr 2027 – 31 Jul 2027 opens in 29 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
about 17.8 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageable -
Pearl milletFavourableGrows well in 4 of 4 districts
Plant 2 May 2027 – 20 Aug 2027 opens in 31 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
about 2.5 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageable -
African eggplantFavourableGrows well in 4 of 4 districts
Plant 12 May 2027 – 21 Jul 2027 opens in 32 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
23.2–25.0 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageable -
African nightshadeFavourableGrows well in 4 of 4 districts
Plant 1 Jun 2027 – 11 Jul 2027 opens in 35 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
16.1–18.0 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageable -
AmaranthFavourableGrows well in 4 of 4 districts
Plant 22 May 2027 – 11 Jul 2027 opens in 33 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
18.6–20.0 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageable
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.
Plan the season, not just check it
The crops above are gathered from every district in Gambela, 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 Gambela?
Cashew, Mango, Pearl millet, African eggplant, African nightshade all rate well in Gambela — scored against its own rainfall, soil and terrain rather than a national average.
When should I plant Cashew in Gambela?
In Gambela the window for Cashew runs 2 May 2027 to 31 Aug 2027.
Is there a farming app that works in Gambela?
Divisi does. It reads Gambela'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 Gambela, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.