Estimate when your crops will be ready to harvest. Get growth stage timelines, key farming dates, and season context for all 54 African countries.
AfroTools' Harvest Date Estimator helps African farmers and agricultural advisors plan their harvest calendar. Enter your planting date, crop variety, and region to get a precise harvest date estimate adjusted for local temperature and altitude. The tool covers 19 major crops grown across Africa, from cereals like maize, rice, and sorghum to root crops like cassava and yam, legumes, and vegetables.
Each crop has a base growing period (days from planting to harvest) for early, medium, and late maturing varieties, sourced from FAO and CGIAR research. The base period is then adjusted for your region's average temperature — warmer areas speed maturity while highland areas slow it. An altitude adjustment is applied based on your region's climate zone. If you select irrigated farming, a further 5% speed-up is applied for consistent water supply.
Estimates are based on FAO and CGIAR variety-specific growing period data, adjusted for regional temperature and altitude. Actual harvest dates depend on specific seed variety, soil conditions, planting technique, and weather. Use the estimate as a planning guide and check harvest readiness signs (described in results) before harvesting.
Early maturing varieties take fewer days to harvest (e.g. maize: 80–90 days). They are useful when the rainy season is short, when planted late, or when you need a quick harvest. Medium varieties (100–120 days) are the most common and usually give the best yield balance. Late varieties (130–150 days) take longer but often yield more — suited for long-season areas with reliable rainfall or irrigation.
Cooler temperatures at high altitudes slow crop growth, extending the growing period. Highlands above 1500m typically add 10–20% more days compared to lowland areas. The calculator automatically adjusts for altitude based on the region you select.
Yes, slightly. Irrigated crops have more consistent water supply, which can speed maturity by approximately 5% compared to rainfed crops in the same region. However, the main determinant is variety type (early/medium/late) and temperature.