Divisi
When to plant Fonio in Fada
ENNEDI OUEST, Tchad
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 | 21 Jan 2027 – 30 Jan 2027 opens in 16 weeks |
| Expected harvest | about 0.9 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 22 Mar 2027 to 30 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 21 Jan 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Fada is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 30 Jan 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Fada
| Rain and temperature | 76% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 76% |
For fonio in Fada, rain and temperature is the tightest of the three at 76%. 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 season in Fada
| Rain in a typical year | About 5 mm |
|---|---|
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 5 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| What that supports | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation, warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season |
| Ground this covers | One kind of ground throughout. |
last updated 17 September 2026
Temperature holds back about 35% 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 Fada
| 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 Fada 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 Fada?
Fada rates as favourable for fonio.
When should I plant fonio in Fada?
Typically 21 Jan 2027 to 30 Jan 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Fada, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.