Divisi
When to plant Finger millet in Kédougou
Sénégal
Finger millet (rapoko, rukweza, zviyo, wimbi, uphoko, mawere, dagussa, uburo) is a hardy highland grain that grows where maize and sorghum give up — high up cool slopes and right through dry spells that would wilt other crops.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant | 22 Jun 2027 – 11 Aug 2027 opens in 38 weeks | 8 Oct 2026 – 28 Oct 2026 |
| Expected harvest | about 2.4 t/ha | about 3.0 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 20 Sep 2027 to 19 Dec 2027, depending on the planting date | |
| Ready to harvest | 90–130 days after planting | |
| Work it takes | 74–124 days per hectare, by hand | |
| Rain meets its needs | 96% | |
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 Aug 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
No seasonal forecast reaches Kédougou yet, so these dates follow the rains it usually gets rather than this year's.
Planting after 11 Aug 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Kédougou
| Rain and temperature | 88% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 88% |
For finger millet in Kédougou, rain and temperature is the tightest of the three at 88%. 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 2027 season in Kédougou
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | June 2027 to October 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 751 mm in a typical farming district |
| Across its districts | From about 751 mm in the driest of 3 districts to about 1,001 mm in the wettest |
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 751 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| 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 short crop, and only if timed to it, 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. |
| 76% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 145 growing days · about 810 mm · June to October |
|---|---|
| 24% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 181 growing days · about 990 mm · May to November |
last updated 16 September 2026 · from all 3 areas within it
What finger millet needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained sandy loam, loam or clay loam soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 6.0 and 7.0 |
| Rain it needs | About 500–1,000 mm across the season |
| Spacing | 25 cm between rows, 10 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | nitrogen and phosphorus |
What it takes to grow finger millet in Kédougou
| Nitrogen (N) | About 31 kg per hectare |
|---|---|
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 22 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 17 kg per hectare |
| In the shops | A basal compound at planting — Compound D, or an NPK blend — covers the phosphate and potash. A nitrogen top dressing — urea or AN — goes on once the crop is established. |
| Hand work | 74–124 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a finger millet 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 Finger millet with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Kédougou 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.
Finger millet 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 finger millet grow well in Kédougou?
Kédougou rates as favourable for finger millet.
When should I plant finger millet in Kédougou?
Typically 22 Jun 2027 to 11 Aug 2027, typical season.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Kédougou, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
