Divisi
When to plant Chickpea in Songwe
United Republic of Tanzania
Known here as dengu
Chickpea is a knee-high, branching legume grown for its round, protein-rich seeds — the pea behind roasted snacks, stews and hummus.
| Fit | Favourable |
|---|---|
| When to plant | 1 May 2027 – 30 Jun 2027 opens in 30 weeks |
| Expected harvest | about 1.4 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 30 Jul 2027 to 27 Nov 2027, 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 1 May 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Songwe 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 30 Jun 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Songwe
| Rain and temperature | 88% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 45% |
For chickpea in Songwe, 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 2026/27 season in Songwe
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | November 2026 to May 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 965 mm in a typical farming district |
| Across its districts | From about 802 mm in the driest of 5 districts to about 1,220 mm in the wettest |
| 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 one full main crop, warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season |
| Ground this covers | 2 kinds of ground. The season below is one typical farming district's, not a figure for the whole of this area. |
| 82% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 194 growing days · about 820 mm · November to May |
|---|---|
| 16% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 210 growing days · about 1,120 mm · October to May |
last updated 17 September 2026 · from all 5 areas within it
Sloping ground holds back about 45% 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 Songwe
| Nitrogen (N) | About 56 kg per hectare — the crop fixes most of this itself; inoculated seed matters more than a bag |
|---|---|
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 7 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 21 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 Songwe 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 Songwe?
Songwe rates as favourable for chickpea.
When should I plant chickpea in Songwe?
Typically 1 May 2027 to 30 Jun 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Songwe, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
