Divisi
When to plant Fonio in Keur Massar
Dakar, Sénégal
Known here as fonio
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 | 24 Jun 2027 – 24 Jul 2027 opens in 38 weeks | 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 1.5 t/ha | same |
| Harvest | From 23 Aug 2027 to 21 Nov 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 4 Jul 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Keur Massar leans dry, so these dates sit later than the long-run average. Planting on the date you are used to risks germinating into a false start and having to replant.
Planting after 24 Jul 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Keur Massar
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 88% |
For fonio in Keur Massar, 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 2027 season in Keur Massar
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | July 2027 to October 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 407 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning dry — September looks short of rain. Plant at the early end of the window, favour quicker and more drought-tolerant crops, and keep moisture in the soil: mulch, and weed early. |
| 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 62% of this area. |
| 62% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 99 growing days · about 410 mm · July to October |
|---|---|
| 38% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 101 growing days · about 420 mm · July to October |
last updated 30 September 2026
Frost and pest pressure hold back about 15% 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 Keur Massar
| Nitrogen (N) | About 30 kg per hectare |
|---|---|
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 9 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 30 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 Keur Massar 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 Keur Massar?
Keur Massar rates as favourable for fonio.
When should I plant fonio in Keur Massar?
Typically 24 Jun 2027 to 24 Jul 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Keur Massar, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
