Divisi
When to plant Fonio in South Sudan
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 | 5 May 2027 – 14 Jul 2027 opens in 31 weeks | 21 May 2027 – 9 Aug 2027 |
| Expected harvest | 1.4–1.5 t/ha | same |
| Harvest | From 4 Jul 2027 to 11 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 15 May 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for South Sudan is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 14 Jul 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in South Sudan
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 88% |
For fonio in South Sudan, 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 2026 season in South Sudan
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | April 2026 to November 2026 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 731 mm in a typical farming district |
| Across its districts | From about 374 mm in the driest of 78 districts to about 1,200 mm in the wettest |
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 731 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| This season's heat | Hotter than usual — about +1.7 °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 full main crop, warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season |
| Ground this covers | 2 kinds of ground. The season below is one typical farming district's, not a figure for the whole of this area. |
| 59% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 217 growing days · about 860 mm · April to November |
|---|---|
| 38% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 156 growing days · about 640 mm · May to October |
last updated 17 September 2026 · from all 78 areas within it
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 South Sudan
| 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 South Sudan 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 South Sudan?
South Sudan rates as favourable for fonio.
When should I plant fonio in South Sudan?
Typically 5 May 2027 to 14 Jul 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across South Sudan, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
