Divisi
When to plant Teff in Saboti
Trans Nzoia, Kenya
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 | 10 Mar 2027 – 7 Jul 2027 opens in 23 weeks | 10 Feb 2027 – 9 Aug 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 2.8 t/ha | about 3.5 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 9 May 2027 to 4 Nov 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 10 Mar 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Saboti leans wet. Plant at the early end of the window, and make sure water can drain off the field — a wet year does more damage through waterlogging than through the rain itself.
Planting after 7 Jul 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Saboti
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 88% |
| The lie of the land | 76% |
For teff in Saboti, the lie of the land is the tightest of the three at 76%. 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 season in Saboti
| When the rains are expected | February 2026 to December 2026 |
|---|---|
| Rain in a typical year | About 1,173 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — February, November and December look heavier than usual. Make sure water can drain off the field; a wet year does more damage through waterlogging and disease than through the rain itself. |
| 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 a long crop, or two in a year, warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season |
| Ground this covers | 3 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 78% of this area. |
| 78% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 307 growing days · about 1,240 mm · February to December |
|---|---|
| 16% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 348 growing days · about 1,350 mm · February to January |
| 6% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 299 growing days · about 1,170 mm · February to December |
last updated 30 September 2026
Frost and pest pressure hold back about 15% of yield here.
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 Saboti
| Planting material | About 3,000,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 84 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 28 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 70 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 Saboti 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.
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 Saboti?
Saboti rates as favourable for teff.
When should I plant teff in Saboti?
Typically 10 Mar 2027 to 7 Jul 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Saboti, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
