Divisi
When to plant Fonio in Kamanjab
Kunene, Namibia
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.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant | 19 Dec 2026 – 8 Jan 2027 opens in 11 weeks | 20 Jul 2026 – 21 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 0.9 t/ha | same |
| Harvest | From 17 Feb 2027 to 8 May 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 meets its needs | 67% | |
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 Dec 2026. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Kamanjab is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 8 Jan 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Kamanjab
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 96% |
For fonio in Kamanjab, 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 Kamanjab
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | January 2026 to April 2026 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 373 mm |
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 373 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| This season's heat | Hotter than usual — about +1.6 °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 the largest that farms — about 83% of this area. |
| 83% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 87 growing days · about 350 mm · January to April |
|---|---|
| 17% | 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 · January to March |
last updated 17 September 2026
Limited water 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 Kamanjab
| 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 Kamanjab 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.
Fonio 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 fonio grow well in Kamanjab?
Kamanjab rates as favourable for fonio.
When should I plant fonio in Kamanjab?
Typically 19 Dec 2026 to 8 Jan 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Kamanjab, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
