Calculate exact seed quantities, planting spacing, and local seed prices for all 54 African countries. Supports seed and vegetatively propagated crops.
AfroTools' Seed Rate Calculator helps African farmers calculate exactly how much seed or planting material they need for their farm. Each country tool uses locally-specific data: country-recommended spacing, certified seed prices, government seed programs, and country extension service recommendations.
Select your crop, planting method, seed quality, and farm size. The calculator determines the target plant population based on row and plant spacing, then applies your seed quality (germination rate) and field conditions (establishment factor) to compute the exact seed quantity. You also get seed cost estimates in local currency and a planting guide with a spacing diagram.
Over 20 crop types including cereals (maize, rice, sorghum, millet, wheat, teff, fonio, barley), legumes (groundnut, cowpea, soybean, common bean, chickpea), vegetatively propagated crops (cassava, yam, sweet potato, potato, plantain, banana), and cash crops (cotton, sesame, sunflower, sugar cane). Each country page shows only the crops grown in that country.
Seed rate is the quantity of seed (in kg per hectare) needed to achieve a target plant population. It accounts for seed weight, germination rate, and expected field establishment losses due to pests, poor soil contact, or weather.
Certified seed (90% germination) produces more plants per kg than old or farm-saved seed (50-68% germination). Poor-quality seed means you need more seed per hectare to achieve the same plant stand — or you risk a thin, uneven crop.
Even seeds that germinate may fail to establish due to birds, soil crust, pests, or drought. The field establishment factor (50-90%) accounts for these losses. In harsh conditions, you need more seed to achieve your target plant stand.
When intercropping, plants are spaced further apart than in sole cropping. As the primary crop, use 75% of the sole-crop seed rate. As the secondary (relay) crop, use 50%.
Crops like cassava, yam, sweet potato, potato, banana, and sugar cane are propagated from stem cuttings, tubers, suckers, or setts — not seeds. The calculator shows the number of planting units needed and (for tuber crops) the total weight of seed material required.