Divisi
When to plant Cowpea in Middle Shabelle
Somalia
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 | 19 Sep 2026 – 29 Sep 2026 closed for this season | 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | 1.2–1.5 t/ha | about 2.5 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 18 Nov 2026 to 27 Jan 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 | 82% | |
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 29 Sep 2026. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Middle Shabelle 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 29 Sep 2026 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Middle Shabelle
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 96% |
For cowpea in Middle Shabelle, rain and temperature is the tightest of the three at 96%. This one is fixed. It is why the planting window above is where it is — hitting those dates is the whole of your control here.
The 2026 season in Middle Shabelle
| Rain in a typical year | About 341 mm in a typical farming district |
|---|---|
| Across its districts | From about 330 mm in the driest of 4 districts to about 447 mm in the wettest |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — make sure water can drain off the field. |
| What that supports | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation, warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season |
| Ground this covers | 4 kinds of ground. The season below is one typical farming district's, not a figure for the whole of this area. |
| 65% | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season no rain-fed season · about 350 mm · October to November |
|---|---|
| 25% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 109 growing days · about 400 mm · September to November |
| 5% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 126 growing days · about 470 mm · April to June |
| 3% | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season no rain-fed season · about 300 mm |
last updated 17 September 2026 · from all 4 areas within it
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 Middle Shabelle
| Planting material | About 90,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 90 kg per hectare — the crop fixes most of this itself; inoculated seed matters more than a bag |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 18 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 33 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 Middle Shabelle 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 Middle Shabelle?
Middle Shabelle rates as favourable for cowpea.
When should I plant cowpea in Middle Shabelle?
Typically 19 Sep 2026 to 29 Sep 2026, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Middle Shabelle, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
