Divisi
When to plant Common bean in Kasaï-Central
These figures also cover Kazumba, where the engine returns the same answer.
République démocratique du Congo
Known here as maharage · maharagwe · haricot
The common bean is the number-one grain legume that people in East and Southern Africa eat straight from the pot — as dry beans (a pulse) or as fresh green/snap pods.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant | 27 Aug 2026 – 10 Mar 2027 open now | 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 2.1 t/ha | same |
| Harvest | From 10 Nov 2026 to 8 Jul 2027, depending on the planting date | |
| Ready to harvest | 75–120 days after planting | |
| Work it takes | 81–185 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 4 Jan 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Kasaï-Central 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 10 Mar 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Kasaï-Central
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 60% |
For common bean in Kasaï-Central, the lie of the land is the tightest of the three at 60%. 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 Kasaï-Central
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | August 2026 to May 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 1,272 mm in a typical farming district |
| Across its districts | From about 1,246 mm in the driest of 6 districts to about 1,400 mm in the wettest |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — January, February, October, 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 | 3 kinds of ground. The season below is one typical farming district's, not a figure for the whole of this area. |
| 65% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 281 growing days · about 1,300 mm · August to May |
|---|---|
| 24% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 333 growing days · about 1,350 mm · August to June |
| 10% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 267 growing days · about 1,340 mm · September to May |
last updated 16 September 2026 · from all 6 areas within it
What common bean needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained sandy loam, loam, silt loam or clay loam soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 5.5 and 6.5 |
| Spacing | 50 cm between rows, 10 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | phosphorus |
What it takes to grow common bean in Kasaï-Central
| Planting material | About 175,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 69 kg per hectare — the crop fixes most of this itself; inoculated seed matters more than a bag |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 23 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 36 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 | 81–185 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a common bean 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 Common bean with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Kasaï-Central 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.
Common bean 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 common bean grow well in Kasaï-Central?
Kasaï-Central rates as favourable for common bean.
When should I plant common bean in Kasaï-Central?
Typically 27 Aug 2026 to 10 Mar 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Kasaï-Central, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
