Divisi
When to plant Cassava in South Omo
South Ethiopia, Ethiopia
Cassava is a hardy, woody shrub grown for its fat, starchy roots — a food that grows where little else will.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant (establish) | 8 Feb 2027 – 28 Feb 2027 opens in 19 weeks | 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 26.5 t/ha | about 35.0 t/ha |
| Bearing cycle | 240–730 days per crop once the plant is established. Planting to the first harvest takes longer than one cycle. | |
| Work it takes | 103–180 days per hectare, by hand | |
| Rain meets its needs | 95% | |
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 8 Feb 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for South Omo is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 28 Feb 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in South Omo
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 96% |
For cassava in South Omo, the soil is the tightest of the three at 76%. This is the one you can actually move. Lime raises a sour soil, manure and compost lift what it holds, and both work within a season or two — money spent here changes the answer.
The 2026 season in South Omo
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | March 2026 to December 2026 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 943 mm |
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 943 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| This season's heat | Hotter than usual — about +1.5 °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 | 4 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 35% of this area. |
| 35% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 291 growing days · about 940 mm · March to December |
|---|---|
| 20% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 306 growing days · about 1,170 mm · March to January |
| 19% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season no rain-fed season · about 440 mm |
| 8% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 153 growing days · about 610 mm · October to December |
last updated 16 September 2026
Frost and pest pressure hold back about 15% of yield here.
What cassava needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained sand or sandy loam soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 4.5 and 6.5 |
| Spacing | 100 cm between rows, 100 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | potassium and zinc |
What it takes to grow cassava in South Omo
| Planting material | About 10,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 130 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 66 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 186 kg per hectare |
| In the shops | A basal compound at planting — Compound D, or an NPK blend — covers the phosphate and potash. A nitrogen top dressing — urea or AN — goes on once the crop is established. |
| Hand work | 103–180 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a cassava 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 Cassava with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes South Omo 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.
Cassava 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 cassava grow well in South Omo?
South Omo rates as favourable for cassava.
When should I plant cassava in South Omo?
Typically 8 Feb 2027 to 28 Feb 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across South Omo, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
