Divisi
When to plant Pearl millet in Lower Juba
These figures also cover Afmadow, where the engine returns the same answer.
Somalia
Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) is the toughest grain you can grow.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant | 16 Sep 2026 – 6 Oct 2026 open now | 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | 1.7–1.9 t/ha | about 3.5 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 15 Nov 2026 to 3 Feb 2027, depending on the planting date | |
| Ready to harvest | 60–120 days after planting | |
| Work it takes | 75–150 days per hectare, by hand | |
| Rain meets its needs | 81% | |
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 6 Oct 2026. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Lower Juba 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 6 Oct 2026 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Lower Juba
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 96% |
For pearl millet in Lower Juba, rain and temperature is the tightest of the three at 96%. 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 2026 season in Lower Juba
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | April 2026 to July 2026 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 445 mm in a typical farming district |
| Across its districts | From about 396 mm in the driest of 4 districts to about 505 mm in the wettest |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — make sure water can drain off the field. |
| What that supports | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it, warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season |
| Ground this covers | 3 kinds of ground. The season below is one typical farming district's, not a figure for the whole of this area. |
| 45% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 97 growing days · about 440 mm · April to July |
|---|---|
| 37% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season no rain-fed season · about 380 mm |
| 14% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 124 growing days · about 480 mm · March to June |
last updated 17 September 2026 · from all 4 areas within it
Limited water holds back about 20% of yield here.
What pearl millet needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained sand or sandy loam soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 5.5 and 7.0 |
| Spacing | 60 cm between rows, 12 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | nitrogen and phosphorus |
What it takes to grow pearl millet in Lower Juba
| Planting material | About 180,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 51 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 41 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 74 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 | 75–150 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a pearl millet 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 Pearl millet with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Lower Juba 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.
Pearl millet 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 pearl millet grow well in Lower Juba?
Lower Juba rates as favourable for pearl millet.
When should I plant pearl millet in Lower Juba?
Typically 16 Sep 2026 to 6 Oct 2026, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Lower Juba, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
