Divisi
When to plant Fonio in Pixley ka Seme
Nothern Cape, South Africa
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 | 18 Sep 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 open now |
| Expected harvest | about 1.3 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 17 Nov 2026 to 1 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 1 Jan 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Pixley ka Seme is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 1 Jan 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Pixley ka Seme
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 60% |
For fonio in Pixley ka Seme, 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 season in Pixley ka Seme
| Rain in a typical year | About 286 mm |
|---|---|
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 286 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 | 3 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 89% of this area. |
| 89% | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth no rain-fed season · about 260 mm |
|---|---|
| 8% | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation; cool for part of the year, so frost sets the planting date no rain-fed season · about 340 mm |
| 3% | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth no rain-fed season · about 370 mm |
last updated 17 September 2026
Sloping ground holds 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 Pixley ka Seme
| 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 Pixley ka Seme 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 Pixley ka Seme?
Pixley ka Seme rates as favourable for fonio.
When should I plant fonio in Pixley ka Seme?
Typically 18 Sep 2026 to 1 Jan 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Pixley ka Seme, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.