Divisi
When to plant Rice in Ilemela
Mwanza, United Republic of Tanzania
Known here as mchele · mpunga
Rice is a grass that lives on water.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant | 6 Oct 2026 – 15 Nov 2026 opens in 1 week | 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 3.1 t/ha | about 5.8 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 4 Jan 2027 to 14 Apr 2027, depending on the planting date | |
| Ready to harvest | 90–150 days after planting | |
| Work it takes | 69–107 days per hectare, by hand | |
| Rain meets its needs | 72% | |
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 26 Oct 2026. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Ilemela 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 15 Nov 2026 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Ilemela
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 76% |
For rice in Ilemela, the soil is the tightest of the three at 76%. This is the one you can actually move. Lime raises a sour soil, manure and compost lift what it holds, and both work within a season or two — money spent here changes the answer.
The 2026/27 season in Ilemela
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | October 2026 to May 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 866 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — January, February, November and December look heavier than usual. Make sure water can drain off the field; a wet year does more damage through waterlogging and disease than through the rain itself. |
| This season's heat | Hotter than usual — about +0.9 °C over the growing months. Heat makes the same rain do less, so a dry spell bites sooner: do not plant late, and shade or mulch what you can. |
| What that supports | enough rain for one full main crop, warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season |
| Ground this covers | 2 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 96% of this area. |
| 96% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 233 growing days · about 860 mm · October to May |
|---|---|
| 4% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 230 growing days · about 840 mm · October to May |
last updated 16 September 2026
Limited water holds back about 30% of yield here.
What rice needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | loam, clay loam or clay |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 5.5 and 7.0 |
| Spacing | 20 cm between rows, 20 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | nitrogen and zinc |
What it takes to grow rice in Ilemela
| Planting material | About 600,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 46 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 16 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 68 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 | 69–107 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a rice 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 Rice with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Ilemela 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.
Rice 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 rice grow well in Ilemela?
Ilemela rates as favourable for rice.
When should I plant rice in Ilemela?
Typically 6 Oct 2026 to 15 Nov 2026, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Ilemela, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
