What grows in Manicaland
Zimbabwe
The 2026/27 season in Manicaland
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | October 2026 to June 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 1,068 mm in a typical farming district |
| Across its districts | From about 544 mm in the driest of 10 districts to about 1,167 mm in the wettest |
| This season's rain | Leaning dry — January, February, November 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 +1.4 °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. |
| 46% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 159 growing days · about 620 mm · November to April |
|---|---|
| 40% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 185 growing days · about 900 mm · October to April |
| 11% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 229 growing days · about 1,080 mm · October to June |
last updated 18 September 2026 · from all 10 areas within it
Manicaland's districts
What grows here
-
MangoFavourableGrows well in 10 of 10 districts
Plant 21 Oct 2026 – 9 Jan 2027 opens in 3 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
about 17.6 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageable -
LablabFavourableGrows well in 10 of 10 districts
Plant 1 Nov 2026 – 10 Jan 2027 opens in 5 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
about 1.7 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageable -
Pearl milletFavourableGrows well in 10 of 10 districts
Plant 31 Oct 2026 – 20 Dec 2026 opens in 4 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
about 2.5 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableEarly-maturing — escapes late drought -
SorghumFavourableGrows well in 10 of 10 districts
Plant 31 Oct 2026 – 30 Dec 2026 opens in 4 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
about 4.0 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableEarly-maturing — escapes late drought -
Finger milletFavourableGrows well in 10 of 10 districts
Plant 1 Nov 2026 – 11 Dec 2026 opens in 5 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
about 2.5 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableEarly-maturing — escapes late drought -
FonioFavourableGrows well in 10 of 10 districts
Plant 31 Oct 2026 – 20 Dec 2026 opens in 4 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
1.4–1.5 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
-
YamFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 6 of 10 districts
Plant 9 Aug 2026 – 18 Sep 2026 closed for this season
matched to this season's forecast
about 22.5 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableLate-maturing — drought risk -
SugarcaneFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 2 of 10 districts
Plant 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 59.2 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageable -
TaroFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 1 of 10 districts
Plant 30 Jun 2026 – 10 Jun 2027 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 26.5 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableSoil pH below the crop's optimumLate-maturing — drought risk
Plan the season, not just check it
The crops above are gathered from every district in Manicaland, 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
- Command Agriculture
- Pfumvudza/Intwasa
- AGRITEX
- Department of Research and Specialist Services
- Seed Services 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 Manicaland?
Mango, Lablab, Pearl millet, Sorghum, Finger millet all rate well in Manicaland — scored against its own rainfall, soil and terrain rather than a national average.
When should I plant Mango in Manicaland?
In Manicaland the window for Mango runs 21 Oct 2026 to 9 Jan 2027.
Is there a farming app that works in Manicaland?
Divisi does. It reads Manicaland'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 Manicaland, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.