Divisi
When to plant Sesame in Ilebo
Kasaï, République démocratique du Congo
Known here as ufuta · 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.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant | 30 Jul 2026 – 10 Feb 2027 open now | 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 1.1 t/ha | same |
| Harvest | From 28 Oct 2026 to 20 Jun 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 11 Jan 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Ilebo is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 10 Feb 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Ilebo
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 60% |
For sesame in Ilebo, 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 2026/27 season in Ilebo
| When the rains are expected | August 2026 to June 2027 |
|---|---|
| Rain in a typical year | About 1,368 mm |
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 1,368 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| This season's heat | Hotter than usual — about +1.2 °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 a long crop, or two in a year, 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 77% of this area. |
| 77% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 319 growing days · about 1,360 mm · August to June |
|---|---|
| 23% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 283 growing days · about 1,260 mm · August to May |
last updated 30 September 2026
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 Ilebo
| Planting material | About 265,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 61 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 16 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 55 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 Ilebo 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 Ilebo?
Ilebo rates as favourable for sesame.
When should I plant sesame in Ilebo?
Typically 30 Jul 2026 to 10 Feb 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Ilebo, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
