Divisi
When to plant Yam in Manafwa
Eastern, Uganda
Known here as kiazi kikuu
Yam is a climbing vine that grows one big food tuber underground over a long 7-11 month season.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant | 17 Nov 2026 – 10 Feb 2027 opens in 7 weeks | 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 19.3 t/ha | about 23.7 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 16 May 2027 to 6 Jan 2028, depending on the planting date | |
| Ready to harvest | 180–330 days after planting | |
| Rain meets its needs | 89% | |
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 21 Jan 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Manafwa 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 10 Feb 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Manafwa
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 76% |
For yam in Manafwa, 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 season in Manafwa
| When the rains are expected | February 2026 to December 2026 |
|---|---|
| Rain in a typical year | About 1,064 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 | 4 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 83% of this area. |
| 83% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 310 growing days · about 1,150 mm · February to December |
|---|---|
| 9% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 318 growing days · about 1,390 mm · February to December |
| 4% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 319 growing days · about 1,370 mm · February to January |
| 4% | 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 1,050 mm · February to December |
last updated 17 September 2026
What yam needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained sandy loam or loam soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 5.5 and 7.0 |
| Spacing | 100 cm between rows, 100 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | nitrogen and potassium |
What it takes to grow yam in Manafwa
| Planting material | About 10,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 72 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 21 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 111 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. |
These are the nutrients a yam 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 Yam with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Manafwa 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 Yam nearby
Yam 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 yam grow well in Manafwa?
Manafwa rates as favourable for yam.
When should I plant yam in Manafwa?
Typically 17 Nov 2026 to 10 Feb 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Manafwa, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
