Divisi
When to plant Sesame in Areza
Debub, Eritrea
Sesame — also called simsim or benniseed — is a tough, upright oilseed that grows from knee to shoulder height and gives a seed that is about half oil.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant | 7 Jun 2027 – 17 Jun 2027 opens in 36 weeks | 29 Aug 2026 – 20 Jul 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 0.6 t/ha | same |
| Harvest | From 5 Sep 2027 to 25 Oct 2027, depending on the planting date | |
| Ready to harvest | 90–130 days after planting | |
| Work it takes | 65–129 days per hectare, by hand | |
| Rain meets its needs | 66% | |
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 7 Jun 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Areza is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 17 Jun 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Areza
| Rain and temperature | 88% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 76% |
For sesame in Areza, the lie of the land is the tightest of the three at 76%. 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 2027 season in Areza
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | June 2027 to September 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 550 mm |
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 550 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| This season's heat | Hotter than usual — about +1.8 °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 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 the largest that farms — about 65% of this area. |
| 65% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 94 growing days · about 570 mm · June to September |
|---|---|
| 29% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 88 growing days · about 530 mm · June to September |
| 6% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 85 growing days · about 530 mm · June to September |
last updated 16 September 2026
Limited water holds back about 35% of yield here.
What sesame needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained sandy loam or loam soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 5.5 and 7.5 |
| Rain it needs | About 300–600 mm across the season |
| Spacing | 37 cm between rows, 7 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | nitrogen, phosphorus and boron |
What it takes to grow sesame in Areza
| Planting material | About 265,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 33 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 | 65–129 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a sesame 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 Sesame with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Areza 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.
Sesame 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 sesame grow well in Areza?
Areza rates as favourable for sesame.
When should I plant sesame in Areza?
Typically 7 Jun 2027 to 17 Jun 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Areza, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
