What grows in Yatta

Machakos, Kenya

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Map showing the boundary of Yatta

The 2026/27 season in Yatta

Rainy seasonsTwo each year — two chances to plant
When the rains are expectedOctober 2026 to January 2027
Rain in a typical yearAbout 646 mm
This season's rainLeaning wet — January, February, 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 heatHotter 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 supportsenough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it, warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season
Ground this covers2 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 84% of this area.
Agro-ecological zones covering this area
84% enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 173 growing days · about 650 mm · October to January
16% enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 185 growing days · about 690 mm · October to January

last updated 30 September 2026

What grows in Yatta

84% lowland, semi-arid, warm — 49 crops

16% lowland, sub-humid, warm — 55 crops

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 in Yatta 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 Yatta

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.

  • Pineapple Only in patches — clears in part of this area, not across any one zone
  • Avocado Moderate — Water
  • Sugarcane Moderate — Water
  • Turmeric Moderate — Water
  • Banana Unsuitable — Water
  • Cabbage Unsuitable — Temperature
  • Chickpea Unsuitable — Temperature
  • Cocoa Unsuitable — Water
  • Coconut Unsuitable
  • Taro Unsuitable — Water
  • Arabica coffee Unsuitable — Water
  • Robusta coffee Unsuitable — Water
  • Enset Unsuitable
  • Garlic Unsuitable — Temperature
  • Ginger Unsuitable — Water
  • Oil palm Unsuitable — Water
  • Tea Unsuitable — Water
  • Teff Unsuitable — Temperature

Divisi scored 74 crops against this district's own ground; 18 came back without a sowing date.

Plan the season, not just check it

The crops and dates above are read at cells spread across Yatta, 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

What changed in Yatta

  • 2 September 2026 Jute Mallow — Suitability class changed, now rates Favourable
  • 2 September 2026 Passion Fruit — Limiting factor changed, now held back mostly by Soil
  • 2 September 2026 Passion Fruit — Suitability class changed, now rates Favourable
  • 2 September 2026 Teff — Limiting factor changed
  • 2 September 2026 Okra — Crop became recommendable

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.

Where to sell it nearby

Support and extension

Frequently asked questions

What crops grow well in Yatta?

Cashew, Cowpea, Green gram, Mango, Niger seed all rate well in Yatta — scored against its own rainfall, soil and terrain rather than a national average.

When should I plant Cashew in Yatta?

In Yatta the window for Cashew runs 25 Sep 2026 to 19 Nov 2026.

Is there a farming app that works in Yatta?

Divisi does. It reads Yatta'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 Yatta, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.

Keep going

The district's answer is one question. What each crop needs, what attacks it and where to sell it are the others.