Divisi
When to plant Bambara groundnut in Kalangala
Central, Uganda
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 | 29 Aug 2026 – 1 May 2027 open now | 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 2.0 t/ha | same |
| Harvest | From 27 Nov 2026 to 18 Oct 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 1 Jan 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Kalangala 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 1 May 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Kalangala
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 96% |
For bambara groundnut in Kalangala, 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 2026 season in Kalangala
| When the rains are expected | January 2026 to December 2026 |
|---|---|
| Rain in a typical year | About 1,738 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — January, February, 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 +1.1 °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 a long crop, or two in a year, 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 93% of this area. |
| 93% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 365 growing days · about 1,700 mm · January to December |
|---|---|
| 7% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 365 growing days · about 1,590 mm · January to December |
last updated 17 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 Kalangala
| 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 Kalangala 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 Kalangala?
Kalangala rates as favourable for bambara groundnut.
When should I plant bambara groundnut in Kalangala?
Typically 29 Aug 2026 to 1 May 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Kalangala, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
