What grows in Southern
Malawi
The 2026/27 season in Southern
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | November 2026 to April 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 807 mm in a typical farming district |
| Across its districts | From about 807 mm in the driest of 15 districts to about 1,261 mm in the wettest |
| This season's rain | Leaning dry — January, February and December look short of rain. Plant at the early end of the window, favour quicker and more drought-tolerant crops, and keep moisture in the soil: mulch, and weed early. |
| This season's heat | Hotter than usual — about +1.6 °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 | 3 kinds of ground. The season below is one typical farming district's, not a figure for the whole of this area. |
| 67% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 166 growing days · about 970 mm · November to April |
|---|---|
| 26% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 216 growing days · about 1,110 mm · October to June |
| 3% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 293 growing days · about 1,630 mm · October to August |
last updated 18 September 2026 · from all 15 areas within it
Southern's districts
-
Balaka -
Blantyre -
Blantyre City -
Chikwawa -
Chiradzulu -
Machinga -
Mangochi -
Mulanje -
Mwanza -
Neno -
Nsanje -
Phalombe -
Thyolo -
Zomba -
Zomba City
What grows here
-
MangoFavourableGrows well in 15 of 15 districts
Plant 28 Oct 2026 – 26 Jan 2027 opens in 4 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
about 16.6 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageable -
MaizeFavourableGrows well in 15 of 15 districts
Plant 31 Oct 2026 – 20 Dec 2026 opens in 4 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
6.4–6.5 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageable -
Pearl milletFavourableGrows well in 15 of 15 districts
Plant 1 Nov 2026 – 19 Feb 2027 opens in 5 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
about 2.5 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableEarly-maturing — escapes late drought -
SoybeanFavourableGrows well in 15 of 15 districts
Plant 1 Nov 2026 – 20 Jan 2027 opens in 5 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
about 3.0 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableEarly-maturing — escapes late drought -
SorghumFavourableGrows well in 15 of 15 districts
Plant 1 Nov 2026 – 30 Jan 2027 opens in 5 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
about 4.0 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableEarly-maturing — escapes late drought -
TobaccoFavourableGrows well in 15 of 15 districts
Plant 1 Nov 2026 – 20 Jan 2027 opens in 5 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
about 3.0 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableEarly-maturing — escapes late drought
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
-
CocoaFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 9 of 15 districts
Plant 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 1.6 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageable -
Oil palmFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 9 of 15 districts
Plant 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 16.4 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableSoil pH below the crop's optimum
Plan the season, not just check it
The crops above are gathered from every district in Southern, 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
- Affordable Inputs Programme
- NEEF Agricultural Development Loans
- Department of Agricultural Extension Services
- Department of Agricultural Research Services
- Seed Services Unit
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 Southern?
Mango, Maize, Pearl millet, Soybean, Sorghum all rate well in Southern — scored against its own rainfall, soil and terrain rather than a national average.
When should I plant Mango in Southern?
In Southern the window for Mango runs 28 Oct 2026 to 26 Jan 2027.
Is there a farming app that works in Southern?
Divisi does. It reads Southern'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 Southern, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.