Divisi
When to plant Bambara groundnut in Porto Novo
Cabo Verde
Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea) is one of Africa's own beans — a tough, low, bushy plant, often grown by the women of the household on the poorest, sandiest land where maize would fail.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant | 27 Jul 2027 – 16 Aug 2027 opens in 43 weeks | 2 Mar 2026 – 18 Sep 2026 |
| Expected harvest | about 0.9 t/ha | same |
| Harvest | From 25 Oct 2027 to 2 Feb 2028, depending on the planting date | |
| Ready to harvest | 90–170 days after planting | |
| Work it takes | 77–157 days per hectare, by hand | |
| Rain meets its needs | 79% | |
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.
If you only get one chance to plant, aim for around 27 Jul 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Porto Novo is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 16 Aug 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Porto Novo
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 45% |
For bambara groundnut in Porto Novo, the lie of the land is the tightest of the three at 45%. You cannot flatten it, but you can farm it: plant along the contour rather than up and down, ridge or tie ridges to hold water on the slope, and expect shallower rooting than the crop would manage on flat ground.
The 2026 season in Porto Novo
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | August 2026 to November 2026 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 473 mm in a typical farming district |
| Across its districts | From about 423 mm in the driest of 2 districts to about 473 mm in the wettest |
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 473 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| 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 | 4 kinds of ground. The season below is one typical farming district's, not a figure for the whole of this area. |
| 52% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 104 growing days · about 440 mm · August to November |
|---|---|
| 23% | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season no rain-fed season · about 260 mm · August to October |
| 21% | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season no rain-fed season · about 140 mm |
| 4% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 106 growing days · about 460 mm · August to November |
last updated 17 September 2026 · from all 2 areas within it
Sloping ground holds back about 45% of yield here.
What bambara groundnut needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained sand or sandy loam soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 5.0 and 6.5 |
| Spacing | 40 cm between rows, 15 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | phosphorus and calcium |
What it takes to grow bambara groundnut in Porto Novo
| Planting material | About 125,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 45 kg per hectare — the crop fixes most of this itself; inoculated seed matters more than a bag |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 9 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 22 kg per hectare |
| In the shops | A basal compound at planting — Compound D, or an NPK blend — covers the phosphate and potash. Skip the nitrogen top dressing; inoculated seed does that job. |
| Hand work | 77–157 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a bambara groundnut crop of that size carries off the field. What you actually apply depends on what your soil already holds — which is what a soil test, or the app's field records, tell you.
What to watch for
Grow Bambara groundnut with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Porto Novo as a whole — 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.
Bambara groundnut in nearby districts
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
Will bambara groundnut grow well in Porto Novo?
Porto Novo rates as favourable for bambara groundnut.
When should I plant bambara groundnut in Porto Novo?
Typically 27 Jul 2027 to 16 Aug 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Porto Novo, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
