Divisi
When to plant Irish potato in Fako
South-West, Cameroon
Known here as pomme de terre
The Irish potato (mbatatisi, ikirayi, viazi mviringo) is a cool-weather crop grown for the tubers that swell underground — it is not a grain, and it is not the same plant as sweet potato.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant | 11 Feb 2026 – 9 Oct 2026 open now | 30 Jun 2027 – 20 Jul 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 29.5 t/ha | about 39.5 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 22 Apr 2026 to 16 Feb 2027, depending on the planting date | |
| Ready to harvest | 70–130 days after planting | |
| Work it takes | 110–185 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 27 Feb 2026. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Fako 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 9 Oct 2026 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Fako
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 60% |
For irish potato in Fako, 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 2026 season in Fako
| When the rains are expected | February 2026 to December 2026 |
|---|---|
| Rain in a typical year | About 2,931 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning dry — February, September, October, November and December look 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 a long crop, or two in a year, warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season |
| Ground this covers | 4 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 81% of this area. |
| 81% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 333 growing days · about 2,950 mm · February to December |
|---|---|
| 6% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 345 growing days · about 2,800 mm · January to January |
| 6% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 333 growing days · about 3,070 mm · January to January |
| 5% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 356 growing days · about 2,790 mm · January to January |
last updated 17 September 2026
Sloping ground holds back about 20% of yield here.
What irish potato needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained loam or sandy loam soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 5.0 and 6.5 |
| Spacing | 75 cm between rows, 28 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | potassium and magnesium |
What it takes to grow irish potato in Fako
| Planting material | About 47,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 97 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 30 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 171 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 | 110–185 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a irish potato 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 Irish potato with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Fako 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.
Where to sell Irish potato nearby
Irish potato 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 irish potato grow well in Fako?
Fako rates as favourable for irish potato.
When should I plant irish potato in Fako?
Typically 11 Feb 2026 to 9 Oct 2026, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Fako, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
