Divisi
When to plant Cowpea in Liban
Somali, Ethiopia
Cowpea (nyemba, kunde, niébé, black-eyed pea) is a tough, drought-beating legume for warm country.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant | 11 Mar 2027 – 31 Mar 2027 opens in 23 weeks | 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | 1.2–1.4 t/ha | about 2.5 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 10 May 2027 to 29 Jul 2027, depending on the planting date | |
| Ready to harvest | 60–120 days after planting | |
| Work it takes | 50–105 days per hectare, by hand | |
| Rain meets its needs | 78% | |
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 31 Mar 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Liban 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 31 Mar 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Liban
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 88% |
For cowpea in Liban, 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 season in Liban
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | March 2026 to May 2026 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 455 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — make sure water can drain off the field. |
| What that supports | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it, 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 28% of this area. |
| 45% | 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 290 mm |
|---|---|
| 28% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 117 growing days · about 420 mm · March to May |
| 27% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 137 growing days · about 490 mm · March to June |
last updated 16 September 2026
Limited water holds back about 20% of yield here.
What cowpea needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained sand, sandy loam or loam soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 5.5 and 6.5 |
| Spacing | 75 cm between rows, 25 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | phosphorus and potassium |
What it takes to grow cowpea in Liban
| Planting material | About 90,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 84 kg per hectare — the crop fixes most of this itself; inoculated seed matters more than a bag |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 17 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 31 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 | 50–105 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a cowpea 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 Cowpea with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Liban 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.
Cowpea 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 cowpea grow well in Liban?
Liban rates as favourable for cowpea.
When should I plant cowpea in Liban?
Typically 11 Mar 2027 to 31 Mar 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Liban, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
