Divisi
When to plant Cowpea in Kondoa
Dodoma, United Republic of Tanzania
Known here as kunde
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 | 25 Jan 2027 – 6 Mar 2027 opens in 17 weeks | 9 Aug 2026 – 22 Mar 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 1.8 t/ha | about 2.5 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 26 Mar 2027 to 4 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-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 14 Feb 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Kondoa 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 6 Mar 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Kondoa
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 88% |
For cowpea in Kondoa, 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 2026/27 season in Kondoa
| 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 637 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — 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 +1.0 °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 | 4 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 57% of this area. |
| 57% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 184 growing days · about 620 mm · November to May |
|---|---|
| 20% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 200 growing days · about 720 mm · November to May |
| 11% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 172 growing days · about 600 mm · November to May |
| 11% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 178 growing days · about 630 mm · November to May |
last updated 16 September 2026
Frost and pest pressure hold back about 15% 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 Kondoa
| Planting material | About 90,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 108 kg per hectare — the crop fixes most of this itself; inoculated seed matters more than a bag |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 22 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 40 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 Kondoa 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 Kondoa?
Kondoa rates as favourable for cowpea.
When should I plant cowpea in Kondoa?
Typically 25 Jan 2027 to 6 Mar 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Kondoa, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
