Divisi
When to plant Bambara groundnut in Taveta
Taita Taveta, 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 | 31 Jan 2027 – 20 Feb 2027 opens in 17 weeks | 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 2.0 t/ha | same |
| Harvest | From 1 May 2027 to 9 Aug 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-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 10 Feb 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Taveta 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 20 Feb 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Taveta
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 88% |
For bambara groundnut in Taveta, the lie of the land is the tightest of the three at 88%. 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 Taveta
| Rainy seasons | Two each year — two chances to plant |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | February 2026 to June 2026 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 711 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — February, October, November and December look heavier than usual. Make sure water can drain off the field; a wet year does more damage through waterlogging and disease than through the rain itself. |
| This season's heat | Hotter than usual — about +1.0 °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 the largest that farms — about 50% of this area. |
| 50% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 184 growing days · about 640 mm · February to June |
|---|---|
| 41% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 174 growing days · about 590 mm · February to May |
| 8% | 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 550 mm · February to June |
last updated 30 September 2026
Frost and pest pressure hold back about 15% 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 Taveta
| Planting material | About 125,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 100 kg per hectare — the crop fixes most of this itself; inoculated seed matters more than a bag |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 20 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 50 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 Taveta 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 Taveta?
Taveta rates as favourable for bambara groundnut.
When should I plant bambara groundnut in Taveta?
Typically 31 Jan 2027 to 20 Feb 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Taveta, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
