Divisi
When to plant Bambara groundnut in Fafi
Garissa, Kenya
Known here as njugu mawe
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 | 17 Mar 2027 – 6 Apr 2027 opens in 24 weeks | 22 Mar 2026 – 8 Oct 2026 |
| Expected harvest | 1.0–1.2 t/ha | about 2.0 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 15 Jun 2027 to 23 Sep 2027, 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 | 62% | |
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 Mar 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Fafi leans wet. Plant at the early end of the window, and make sure water can drain off the field — a wet year does more damage through waterlogging than through the rain itself.
Planting after 6 Apr 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Fafi
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 96% |
For bambara groundnut in Fafi, rain and temperature is the tightest of the three at 96%. This one is fixed. It is why the planting window above is where it is — hitting those dates is the whole of your control here.
The 2027 season in Fafi
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | April 2027 to June 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 435 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — make sure water can drain off the field. |
| 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 | 2 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 16% of this area. |
| 83% | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season no rain-fed season · about 350 mm |
|---|---|
| 16% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 113 growing days · about 480 mm · April to June |
last updated 30 September 2026
Limited water holds back about 40% 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 Fafi
| Planting material | About 125,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 60 kg per hectare — the crop fixes most of this itself; inoculated seed matters more than a bag |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 12 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 30 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 Fafi 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 Fafi?
Fafi rates as favourable for bambara groundnut.
When should I plant bambara groundnut in Fafi?
Typically 17 Mar 2027 to 6 Apr 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Fafi, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
