What grows in Garissa
Kenya
The 2026 season in Garissa
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | October 2026 to December 2026 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 325 mm in a typical farming district |
| Across its districts | From about 299 mm in the driest of 6 districts to about 510 mm in the wettest |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — October, 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 +1.0 °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 short crop, and only if timed to it, warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season |
| Ground this covers | 2 kinds of ground. The season below is one typical farming district's, not a figure for the whole of this area. |
| 75% | 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 |
|---|---|
| 22% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 112 growing days · about 580 mm · April to July |
last updated 16 September 2026 · from all 6 areas within it
Garissa's districts
What grows here
-
Jute mallowFavourableGrows well in 4 of 6 districts
Plant 6 Apr 2027 – 26 Apr 2027 opens in 27 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
7.2–8.9 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableSoil pH below the crop's optimum -
Bambara groundnutFavourableGrows well in 4 of 6 districts
Plant 4 Oct 2026 – 24 Oct 2026 opens in 1 week
matched to this season's forecast
about 1.3 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableNot enough water in seasonSoil pH outside the crop's range -
Common beanFavourableGrows well in 4 of 6 districts
Plant 5 Oct 2026 – 25 Oct 2026 opens in 1 week
matched to this season's forecast
1.4–1.8 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableSoil pH below the crop's optimum -
CowpeaFavourableGrows well in 4 of 6 districts
Plant 5 Oct 2026 – 25 Oct 2026 opens in 1 week
matched to this season's forecast
1.1–1.4 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableSoil pH below the crop's optimum -
Egusi melonFavourableGrows well in 4 of 6 districts
Plant 5 Oct 2026 – 25 Oct 2026 opens in 1 week
matched to this season's forecast
0.7–0.8 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableSoil pH outside the crop's rangeCorrect soil pH (acidifier) -
Green gramFavourableGrows well in 4 of 6 districts
Plant 5 Oct 2026 – 4 Nov 2026 opens in 1 week
matched to this season's forecast
0.9–1.1 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableSoil pH below the crop's optimum
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
-
BananaFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 6 of 6 districts
Plant 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 55.6 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableSoil pH outside the crop's rangeCorrect soil pH (acidifier) -
CocoaFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 6 of 6 districts
Plant 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 1.9 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableSoil pH outside the crop's rangeCorrect soil pH (acidifier) -
TaroFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 6 of 6 districts
Plant 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 27.8 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableSoil pH below the crop's optimum -
GrapefruitFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 6 of 6 districts
Plant 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 37.1 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableSoil pH outside the crop's rangeCorrect soil pH (acidifier) -
GuavaFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 6 of 6 districts
Plant 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 35.0 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableSoil pH below the crop's optimum -
LimeFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 6 of 6 districts
Plant 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 23.2 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableSoil pH outside the crop's rangeCorrect soil pH (acidifier)
Plan the season, not just check it
The crops above are gathered from every district in Garissa, 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.
Or check your field firstSupport and extension
- Agricultural Finance Corporation Credit
- National Fertilizer Subsidy Programme
- Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization
- Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service
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 Garissa?
Jute mallow, Bambara groundnut, Common bean, Cowpea, Egusi melon all rate well in Garissa — scored against its own rainfall, soil and terrain rather than a national average.
When should I plant Jute mallow in Garissa?
In Garissa the window for Jute mallow runs 6 Apr 2027 to 26 Apr 2027.
Is there a farming app that works in Garissa?
Divisi does. It reads Garissa'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 Garissa, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.