Divisi
When to plant Teff in Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
Known here as ጤፍ (tef)
Teff (Eragrostis tef) is a fine, tufted grass that carries the smallest grain of any cereal in the world — seed almost as fine as dust.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant | 19 Mar 2027 – 20 Aug 2027 opens in 24 weeks | 20 Jul 2026 – 11 Apr 2027 |
| Expected harvest | 2.5–2.7 t/ha | about 3.3 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 18 May 2027 to 18 Dec 2027, depending on the planting date | |
| Ready to harvest | 60–120 days after planting | |
| Work it takes | 88–174 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 2 Apr 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Addis Ababa is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 20 Aug 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Addis Ababa
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 60% |
For teff in Addis Ababa, 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 2027 season in Addis Ababa
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | March 2027 to October 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 1,072 mm |
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 1,072 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. |
| 53% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 230 growing days · about 1,050 mm · March to October |
|---|---|
| 47% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 220 growing days · about 910 mm · March to October |
last updated 17 September 2026 · from all 1 areas within it
What teff needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | sandy loam, loam, clay loam or clay |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 5.2 and 5.8 |
| Feed it most with | phosphorus, nitrogen, zinc, sulphur and boron |
What it takes to grow teff in Addis Ababa
| Planting material | About 3,000,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 81 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 27 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 68 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 | 88–174 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a teff 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 Teff with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Addis Ababa 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 Teff nearby
Teff 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 teff grow well in Addis Ababa?
Addis Ababa rates as favourable for teff.
When should I plant teff in Addis Ababa?
Typically 19 Mar 2027 to 20 Aug 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Addis Ababa, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
