What grows in Zambia
The 2026/27 season in Zambia
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | October 2026 to May 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 1,250 mm in a typical farming district |
| Across its districts | From about 722 mm in the driest of 116 districts to about 1,379 mm in the wettest |
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 1,250 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| 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 | 2 kinds of ground. The season below is one typical farming district's, not a figure for the whole of this area. |
| 57% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 175 growing days · about 880 mm · November to April |
|---|---|
| 39% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 185 growing days · about 1,120 mm · October to April |
last updated 17 September 2026 · from all 116 areas within it
Zambia's regions
What grows here
-
MangoFavourableGrows well in 116 of 116 districts
Plant 17 Oct 2026 – 25 Jan 2027 opens in 2 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
about 16.7 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageable -
SoybeanFavourableGrows well in 116 of 116 districts
Plant 11 Oct 2026 – 30 Nov 2026 opens in 2 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
about 2.8 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableSoil pH below the crop's optimum -
SorghumFavourableGrows well in 116 of 116 districts
Plant 13 Oct 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 opens in 2 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
about 3.7 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableSoil pH below the crop's optimum -
TobaccoFavourableGrows well in 116 of 116 districts
Plant 8 Oct 2026 – 26 Jan 2027 opens in 1 week
matched to this season's forecast
about 2.8 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageable -
MaizeFavourableGrows well in 116 of 116 districts
Plant 10 Oct 2026 – 29 Dec 2026 opens in 1 week
matched to this season's forecast
about 6.5 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableSoil pH below the crop's optimum -
FonioFavourableGrows well in 116 of 116 districts
Plant 15 Oct 2026 – 14 Dec 2026 opens in 2 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
about 1.5 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
-
BananaFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 114 of 116 districts
Plant 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 55.4 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableSoil pH below the crop's optimum -
TaroFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 91 of 116 districts
Plant 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 27.5 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableLate-maturing — drought risk -
SugarcaneFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 70 of 116 districts
Plant 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 74.8 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageable -
Arabica coffeeFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 69 of 116 districts
Plant 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 1.7 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageable -
EnsetFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 40 of 116 districts
Plant 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 open now
based on the rains it usually gets
about 27.8 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageable -
Robusta coffeeFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 40 of 116 districts
Plant 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 2.7 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageable
Plan the season, not just check it
The crops above are gathered from every district in Zambia, 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
- Farmer Input Support Programme
- Sustainable Agriculture Financing Facility
- Department of Agriculture
- Seed Control and Certification Institute
- Zambia Agriculture Research Institute
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 Zambia?
Mango, Soybean, Sorghum, Tobacco, Maize all rate well in Zambia — scored against its own rainfall, soil and terrain rather than a national average.
When should I plant Mango in Zambia?
In Zambia the window for Mango runs 17 Oct 2026 to 25 Jan 2027.
Is there a farming app that works in Zambia?
Divisi does. It reads Zambia'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 Zambia, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.