Divisi
When to plant Niger seed in Western Province
Rwanda
Niger seed — noug — is a tall, upright plant with bright yellow, daisy-like flowers, grown for the small black, oily seeds that are pressed into sweet, light noug cooking oil.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant | 20 Jul 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 open now | 11 Apr 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 0.9 t/ha | same |
| Harvest | From 18 Oct 2026 to 31 May 2027, depending on the planting date | |
| Ready to harvest | 90–150 days after planting | |
| Work it takes | 64–134 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 outlook for Western Province leans wet. Plant at the early end of the window, and make sure water can drain off the field — a wet year does more damage through waterlogging than through the rain itself.
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 Western Province
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 60% |
For niger seed in Western Province, 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 Western Province
| When the rains are expected | August 2026 to August 2026 |
|---|---|
| Rain in a typical year | About 1,302 mm in a typical farming district |
| Across its districts | From about 1,122 mm in the driest of 7 districts to about 1,379 mm in the wettest |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — make sure water can drain off the field. |
| 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 one typical farming district's, not a figure for the whole of this area. |
| 55% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 329 growing days · about 1,210 mm · August to July |
|---|---|
| 26% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 365 growing days · about 1,350 mm · January to December |
| 11% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 324 growing days · about 1,080 mm · August to July |
| 4% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 338 growing days · about 1,140 mm · August to July |
last updated 18 September 2026 · from all 7 areas within it
What niger seed needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | clay, clay loam or loam |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 5.5 and 7.0 |
| Feed it most with | nitrogen, phosphorus and sulphur |
What it takes to grow niger seed in Western Province
| Nitrogen (N) | About 33 kg per hectare |
|---|---|
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 13 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 14 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 | 64–134 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a niger seed 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 Niger seed with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Western Province 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.
Niger seed 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 niger seed grow well in Western Province?
Western Province rates as favourable for niger seed.
When should I plant niger seed in Western Province?
Typically 20 Jul 2026 to 1 Jan 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Western Province, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
