Divisi
When to plant Teff in Ntchisi
Central, Malawi
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 | Moderate | |
| When to plant | 28 Mar 2027 – 6 Apr 2027 opens in 26 weeks | same |
| Expected harvest | about 0.9 t/ha | about 3.3 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 27 May 2027 to 4 Aug 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 meets its needs | 71% | |
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 28 Mar 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Ntchisi is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 6 Apr 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Ntchisi
| Rain and temperature | 76% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 45% |
For teff in Ntchisi, the lie of the land is the tightest of the three at 45%. 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 Ntchisi
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | November 2026 to April 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 884 mm |
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 884 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 short crop, and only if timed to it, 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 75% of this area. |
| 75% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 165 growing days · about 900 mm · November to April |
|---|---|
| 23% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 195 growing days · about 1,040 mm · November to May |
last updated 17 September 2026
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 Ntchisi
| Planting material | About 3,000,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 27 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 9 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 22 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 Ntchisi 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 Ntchisi?
Ntchisi rates as moderate for teff.
When should I plant teff in Ntchisi?
Typically 28 Mar 2027 to 6 Apr 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Ntchisi, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
