Divisi
When to plant Sorghum in Dodoma
United Republic of Tanzania
Known here as mtama
Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor — mapfunde, mtama, amabele, mapira, dawa, mashilla) is the toughest of the grain cereals: a tall, C4 grass that keeps standing and yields when heat and dry spells have already beaten maize.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant | 12 Nov 2026 – 11 Jan 2027 opens in 6 weeks | 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | 2.8–3.5 t/ha | about 5.0 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 10 Feb 2027 to 31 May 2027, depending on the planting date | |
| Ready to harvest | 90–140 days after planting | |
| Work it takes | 92–168 days per hectare, by hand | |
| Rain meets its needs | 84% | |
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 2 Dec 2026. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Dodoma is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 11 Jan 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Dodoma
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 96% |
For sorghum in Dodoma, 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 2026/27 season in Dodoma
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | November 2026 to May 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 532 mm in a typical farming district |
| Across its districts | From about 491 mm in the driest of 7 districts to about 637 mm in the wettest |
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 532 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 one short crop, and only if timed to it, warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season |
| Ground this covers | 6 kinds of ground. The season below is one typical farming district's, not a figure for the whole of this area. |
| 76% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 148 growing days · about 520 mm · November to April |
|---|---|
| 8% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 184 growing days · about 620 mm · November to May |
| 5% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 184 growing days · about 680 mm · November to May |
| 3% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 206 growing days · about 760 mm · November to June |
| 3% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 200 growing days · about 720 mm · November to May |
| 3% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 178 growing days · about 630 mm · November to May |
last updated 17 September 2026 · from all 7 areas within it
Limited water holds back about 20% of yield here.
What sorghum needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | sandy loam, loam, clay loam or clay |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 6.0 and 7.5 |
| Rain it needs | About 450–650 mm across the season |
| Spacing | 70 cm between rows, 15 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | nitrogen, phosphorus, zinc and sulphur |
What it takes to grow sorghum in Dodoma
| Planting material | About 100,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 13 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 6 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 15 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 | 92–168 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a sorghum 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 Sorghum with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Dodoma 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.
Where to sell Sorghum nearby
Sorghum 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 sorghum grow well in Dodoma?
Dodoma rates as favourable for sorghum.
When should I plant sorghum in Dodoma?
Typically 12 Nov 2026 to 11 Jan 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Dodoma, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
