Divisi
When to plant Teff in Hai
Kilimanjaro, United Republic of Tanzania
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 | 25 Apr 2027 – 4 May 2027 opens in 30 weeks | 1 Jan 2026 – 31 Oct 2026 |
| Expected harvest | about 2.6 t/ha | same |
| Harvest | From 24 Jun 2027 to 1 Sep 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 | 88% | |
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 25 Apr 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Hai 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 4 May 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Hai
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 88% |
For teff in Hai, the lie of the land is the tightest of the three at 88%. 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 Hai
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | February 2026 to June 2026 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 622 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — February 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 +1.1 °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 | 4 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 34% of this area. |
| 34% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 134 growing days · about 610 mm · February to June |
|---|---|
| 17% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 189 growing days · about 760 mm · February to July |
| 9% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; cold for much of the year, with a short planting season 315 growing days · about 1,480 mm · September to July |
| 8% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; cool for part of the year, so frost sets the planting date 306 growing days · about 1,350 mm · September to July |
last updated 16 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 Hai
| Planting material | About 3,000,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 78 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 26 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 65 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 Hai 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 Hai?
Hai rates as favourable for teff.
When should I plant teff in Hai?
Typically 25 Apr 2027 to 4 May 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Hai, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
