Divisi
When to plant Sesame in Inekar
Ménaka, Mali
Known here as sésame
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.
| Fit | Favourable |
|---|---|
| When to plant | 28 Oct 2026 – 17 Nov 2026 opens in 4 weeks |
| Expected harvest | about 1.2 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 26 Jan 2027 to 27 Mar 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-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 28 Oct 2026. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Inekar is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 17 Nov 2026 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Inekar
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 60% |
| The lie of the land | 96% |
For sesame in Inekar, the soil is the tightest of the three at 60%. 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 season in Inekar
| Rain in a typical year | About 99 mm |
|---|---|
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 99 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| What that supports | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation, 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 97% of this area. |
| 97% | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season no rain-fed season · about 140 mm |
|---|---|
| 3% | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season no rain-fed season · about 100 mm |
last updated 30 September 2026
The soil holds back about 20% 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 Inekar
| Planting material | About 265,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 66 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 18 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 60 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 Inekar 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.
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 Inekar?
Inekar rates as favourable for sesame.
When should I plant sesame in Inekar?
Typically 28 Oct 2026 to 17 Nov 2026, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Inekar, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.