Divisi
When to plant Soybean in North-Western
Zambia
Soybean (Glycine max) is a bushy, knee-high bean grown for a seed that is rich in protein and oil — good to eat, good to sell, and it leaves the soil richer for whatever you plant next.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant | 7 Oct 2026 – 26 Nov 2026 opens in 1 week | 30 Jun 2026 – 10 Feb 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 2.8 t/ha | about 3.7 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 5 Jan 2027 to 25 Apr 2027, depending on the planting date | |
| Ready to harvest | 90–150 days after planting | |
| Work it takes | 68–141 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 27 Oct 2026. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for North-Western is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 26 Nov 2026 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in North-Western
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 88% |
For soybean in North-Western, 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 North-Western
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | October 2026 to April 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 1,004 mm in a typical farming district |
| Across its districts | From about 989 mm in the driest of 11 districts to about 1,379 mm in the wettest |
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 1,004 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| This season's heat | Hotter than usual — about +1.4 °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 one typical farming district's, not a figure for the whole of this area. |
| 86% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 185 growing days · about 1,060 mm · October to April |
|---|---|
| 12% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 177 growing days · about 910 mm · October to April |
last updated 17 September 2026 · from all 11 areas within it
Frost and pest pressure hold back about 15% of yield here.
What soybean needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained sandy loam, loam or clay loam soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 6.0 and 6.8 |
| Rain it needs | About 600–1,500 mm across the season |
| Spacing | 50 cm between rows, 6 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | phosphorus, potassium and sulphur |
What it takes to grow soybean in North-Western
| Planting material | About 350,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 154 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 42 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 56 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 | 68–141 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a soybean 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 Soybean with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes North-Western 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.
Soybean 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 soybean grow well in North-Western?
North-Western rates as favourable for soybean.
When should I plant soybean in North-Western?
Typically 7 Oct 2026 to 26 Nov 2026, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across North-Western, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
