Divisi
When to plant Cassava in Dar-es-salaam
United Republic of Tanzania
Known here as muhogo
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) | 22 Sep 2026 – 12 Oct 2026 open now | 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | 28.2–28.7 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 22 Sep 2026. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Dar-es-salaam is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 12 Oct 2026 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Dar-es-salaam
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 88% |
For cassava in Dar-es-salaam, 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 2026/27 season in Dar-es-salaam
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | October 2026 to June 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 1,070 mm in a typical farming district |
| Across its districts | From about 957 mm in the driest of 3 districts to about 1,082 mm in the wettest |
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 1,070 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| 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 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 one typical farming district's, not a figure for the whole of this area. |
| 54% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 265 growing days · about 1,040 mm · October to June |
|---|---|
| 31% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 271 growing days · about 1,020 mm · October to July |
| 15% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 250 growing days · about 1,050 mm · October to July |
last updated 17 September 2026 · from all 3 areas within it
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 Dar-es-salaam
| Planting material | About 10,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 140 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 71 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 200 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 Dar-es-salaam 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.
Where to sell Cassava nearby
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 Dar-es-salaam?
Dar-es-salaam rates as favourable for cassava.
When should I plant cassava in Dar-es-salaam?
Typically 22 Sep 2026 to 12 Oct 2026, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Dar-es-salaam, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
