Divisi
When to plant Fonio in Beitbridge Urban
Matabeleland South, Zimbabwe
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 | 10 Feb 2027 – 19 Feb 2027 opens in 19 weeks |
| Expected harvest | about 1.5 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 11 Apr 2027 to 19 Jun 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 10 Feb 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Beitbridge Urban is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 19 Feb 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Beitbridge Urban
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 88% |
For fonio in Beitbridge Urban, 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 season in Beitbridge Urban
| Rain in a typical year | About 340 mm |
|---|---|
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 340 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 | 3 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 15% of this area. |
| 62% | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season no rain-fed season · about 340 mm |
|---|---|
| 23% | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season no rain-fed season · about 350 mm |
| 15% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 87 growing days · about 370 mm · November to February |
last updated 17 September 2026
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 Beitbridge Urban
| 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 Beitbridge Urban 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 Beitbridge Urban?
Beitbridge Urban rates as favourable for fonio.
When should I plant fonio in Beitbridge Urban?
Typically 10 Feb 2027 to 19 Feb 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Beitbridge Urban, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.