Divisi
When to plant Chickpea in West Omo
South West Ethiopia, Ethiopia
Known here as ሽምብራ (shimbra)
Chickpea is a knee-high, branching legume grown for its round, protein-rich seeds — the pea behind roasted snacks, stews and hummus.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant | 13 Jun 2027 – 12 Aug 2027 opens in 36 weeks | 1 Jan 2026 – 30 Sep 2026 |
| Expected harvest | about 1.7 t/ha | same |
| Harvest | From 11 Sep 2027 to 9 Jan 2028, depending on the planting date | |
| Ready to harvest | 90–150 days after planting | |
| Work it takes | 56–114 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 13 Jun 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
No seasonal forecast reaches West Omo yet, so these dates follow the rains it usually gets rather than this year's.
Planting after 12 Aug 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in West Omo
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 88% |
| The lie of the land | 45% |
For chickpea in West Omo, the lie of the land is the tightest of the three at 45%. 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 West Omo
| When the rains are expected | February 2026 to December 2026 |
|---|---|
| Rain in a typical year | About 1,318 mm |
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 1,318 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| This season's heat | Hotter than usual — about +1.3 °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 | 3 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 68% of this area. |
| 68% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 314 growing days · about 1,320 mm · February to January |
|---|---|
| 19% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 296 growing days · about 1,190 mm · March to December |
| 13% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 346 growing days · about 1,500 mm · February to January |
last updated 16 September 2026
Sloping ground holds back about 35% of yield here.
What chickpea needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained loam, clay loam or clay soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 6.0 and 8.0 |
| Spacing | 30 cm between rows, 10 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | phosphorus |
What it takes to grow chickpea in West Omo
| Nitrogen (N) | About 68 kg per hectare — the crop fixes most of this itself; inoculated seed matters more than a bag |
|---|---|
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 8 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 26 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 | 56–114 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a chickpea 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 Chickpea with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes West 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.
Chickpea 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 chickpea grow well in West Omo?
West Omo rates as favourable for chickpea.
When should I plant chickpea in West Omo?
Typically 13 Jun 2027 to 12 Aug 2027, typical season.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across West 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.
