Divisi
When to plant Fonio in Nyanza
Southern Province, Rwanda
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 | 9 Sep 2026 – 27 Jan 2027 open now | 21 May 2026 – 7 Dec 2026 |
| Expected harvest | about 1.3 t/ha | same |
| Harvest | From 8 Nov 2026 to 27 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-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 13 Jan 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Nyanza 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 27 Jan 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Nyanza
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 60% |
For fonio in Nyanza, the lie of the land is the tightest of the three at 60%. 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 Nyanza
| When the rains are expected | August 2026 to July 2027 |
|---|---|
| Rain in a typical year | About 981 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — January, February, 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 +1.2 °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 a long crop, or two in a year, 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 49% of this area. |
| 49% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 317 growing days · about 1,010 mm · August to July |
|---|---|
| 33% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 284 growing days · about 880 mm · September to June |
| 14% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 295 growing days · about 920 mm · August to June |
| 4% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 322 growing days · about 1,060 mm · August to July |
last updated 17 September 2026
Sloping ground holds back about 20% 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 Nyanza
| Nitrogen (N) | About 26 kg per hectare |
|---|---|
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 8 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 26 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 Nyanza 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 Nyanza?
Nyanza rates as favourable for fonio.
When should I plant fonio in Nyanza?
Typically 9 Sep 2026 to 27 Jan 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Nyanza, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
