Divisi
When to plant Fonio in Akhmim
Suhag, Egypt
Fonio (Digitaria exilis) — also called acha, hungry rice, findi or fundi — is West Africa's ancient small grain and the fastest cereal in the world: early types give grain in about 70 to 85 days, some in as little as 6 to 8 weeks.
| Fit | Favourable |
|---|---|
| When to plant | 10 Feb 2027 – 19 Feb 2027 opens in 19 weeks |
| Expected harvest | about 0.9 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 11 Apr 2027 to 19 Jun 2027, depending on the planting date |
| Ready to harvest | 60–120 days after planting |
| Work it takes | 82–175 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 10 Feb 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Akhmim is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 19 Feb 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Akhmim
| Rain and temperature | 76% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 96% |
For fonio in Akhmim, rain and temperature is the tightest of the three at 76%. 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 season in Akhmim
| Rain in a typical year | About 2 mm |
|---|---|
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 2 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| What that supports | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation, warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth |
| Ground this covers | 2 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 65% of this area. |
| 65% | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth no rain-fed season |
|---|---|
| 35% | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth no rain-fed season |
last updated 18 September 2026
Temperature holds back about 40% of yield here.
What fonio needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained sand or sandy loam soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 5.0 and 6.5 |
| Feed it most with | nitrogen and phosphorus |
What it takes to grow fonio in Akhmim
| Nitrogen (N) | About 18 kg per hectare |
|---|---|
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 5 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 18 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 | 82–175 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a fonio 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 Fonio with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Akhmim 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.
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 fonio grow well in Akhmim?
Akhmim rates as favourable for fonio.
When should I plant fonio in Akhmim?
Typically 10 Feb 2027 to 19 Feb 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Akhmim, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.