Irrigation
Sprinkler spacing must not exceed 65 percent of the wetted diameter in light wind, and drops to 50 percent in strong wind. Measuring the diameter
October 4, 2026
Vegetable farming offers African growers fast cash cycles and steady demand from local markets, but it rewards precise management. This category gathers JOGOO guides on tomato farming, onion farming, pepper, okra and watermelon: choosing varieties, raising healthy seedlings, irrigating with drip lines, feeding crops at each growth stage and protecting them from pests and diseases so you can harvest consistent, marketable produce.
Sprinkler spacing must not exceed 65 percent of the wetted diameter in light wind, and drops to 50 percent in strong wind. Measuring the diameter
An ideal substrate exceeds 85 percent total pore space. Porosity, pH, bulk density and volume per plant for coir, rice husk ash and sand, based
Lettuce grows between 15 and 20 °C and bolts around 29 °C. The shade rate to pick, how to put the structure up, tray management
Mulch laid on dry, poorly weeded soil achieves nothing. Thickness of 7 to 10 cm, choice of material, step by step laying and the effects
One hectare of dry-season onion needs 428 mm, or 5,000 to 7,000 m3 per hectare according to CGER-Vallée, with a peak of 6 mm per
Watermelon needs 400 to 600 mm of water over an 80 to 110 day cycle and yields 20 to 35 t/ha under well-managed irrigation. Seed
Tomato farming takes 90 to 120 days at 20,000 to 30,000 plants/ha, yielding 15 to 80 t/ha. Nursery, staking, pruning, drip irrigation and disease control.
Nursery, transplanting, 20,000 to 25,000 plants/ha, blossom end rot and yields of 8 to 20 t/ha. A complete chilli pepper farming guide for tropical Africa.
Melon matures in 75 to 110 days and yields 15 to 30 t/ha. Full tropical melon farming guide: spacing, drip irrigation, fertilization and disease control.
A 2026 guide to market gardening in Africa: the most profitable crops (tomato, onion, pepper, cabbage, okra), techniques, yields and costs per hectare.
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Start by studying your market: which vegetables sell, when prices peak and who will buy. Choose a site with reliable water and good drainage, test the soil, and begin on a small area you can manage well. Invest in quality seed, a nursery, drip irrigation and a fertilization plan. Stagger plantings so you supply buyers regularly, and keep records of costs and sales.
Most tomato varieties start producing ripe fruit about two to three months after transplanting, depending on the variety, temperature and crop management. Determinate varieties give a concentrated harvest over a few weeks, while indeterminate varieties keep producing for a longer period if they are staked, fed and protected from disease. Harvest at the breaker or pink stage for distant markets.
Tomato, onion, pepper, chili, cabbage and watermelon are among the most profitable vegetables in many African markets because demand is strong all year. Profit depends less on the crop itself than on timing, yield and market access: producing in the off season, when supply is low, often brings the best prices. Irrigation and good crop protection make off-season production possible.