Cicada

What Cicada does

Cicada Holdings is a Jersey-registered, privately held diversified agri-business majority owned by Höegh Capital Partners, with operating subsidiaries in Zimbabwe, the Netherlands, and Mauritius. The company organises its operations across five wholly-owned divisions: Cicada Agriculture (macadamia, Hass avocado, banana, and cereal production across a 36,000 Ha plantation footprint); Cicada Border Timbers (FSC-certified commercial forestry with 40,000 m³ of annual sawn timber capacity across Charter and Sheba estates and 20,000 m³ of creosote-treated transmission pole capacity at Nyakamete); Cicada Solar (development, financing, and operation of commercial and industrial solar and hybrid energy projects with a 25 MW pipeline and up to 8-year customer financing); Cicada Carbon (carbon credit origination across a 160,000-cookstove clean cooking programme, the Nyangani VM042 watershed soil carbon project, and a 100M-tree direct-seeding reforestation initiative bundled under the Cicada Climate Fund); and Cicada Agri-Tech (soil, water, and plant tissue testing laboratory services currently pursuing ISO 17025 accreditation). Certifications span FSC forestry plus ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001 for pole management.

Cicada makes money through a mix of revenue streams: hardware and commodity sales (kiln-dried rough-sawn timber, treated transmission poles with 25-year guarantees, sawdust briquettes, macadamia nuts, Hass avocados, bananas, wheat, barley, soya, and sorghum); managed services and EPC plus multi-year recurring solar project revenue from enterprise customers; carbon credit transactions through the Cicada Climate Fund; and laboratory testing fees paid by Zimbabwean farmers and agribusinesses. The go-to-market is predominantly direct enterprise field sales — confirmed by named C&I solar clients TPZ, NatPak, Proplastics, Paramount Garments, Falcon College, and Border Timbers Charter Sawmill — alongside direct export marketing channels for nuts and avocados, direct pole and timber sales, and direct laboratory engagement through the Southerton facility. Distribution leverages a 45,900 Ha land bank in Zimbabwe's Eastern Highlands, a domestic processing footprint (two sawmills plus autoclave-treating infrastructure), and strategic partnerships with Terra Firma Solutions (solar EPC) and BURN Manufacturing (clean cookstoves).

Headcount sits between 501 and 1,000, led by a cross-sectoral management team with backgrounds spanning Moody's, PIMCO, Standard Bank, JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, McKinsey, Bain, and major African agricultural operators. Höegh Capital Partners provides institutional governance with Thomas Høegh as Chair. Recent capital activity is anchored by a USD 10 million long-term debt facility from Facility for Energy Inclusion (FEI) to Cicada Solar Limited in late 2024, signalling continued investment in the renewable energy division alongside the long-duration agricultural and carbon asset base.

Name

Cicada

Legal name

Cicada Holdings

Website

https://cicada.africa

Company type

Private

Founded year

1945

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Cicada Holdings is a Zimbabwe-focused, Höegh Capital Partners-backed diversified agri-business operating across FSC-certified forestry, premium macadamia and avocado exports, C&I solar energy, clean cookstove carbon credits, and agricultural testing, controlling 45,900 Ha of land through five operating subsidiaries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Diversified Sustainable Agri-business

NAICS

Timber Tract Operations (11311), Support Activities for Forestry (1153), Support Activities for Forestry (115310)

SIC

Forestry (800), Agricultural Production-Crops (100), Sawmills & Planting Mills, General (2421), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Forest Carbon Projects & Ecosystem Services (Carbon Credits, Biodiversity) (IMAMAAAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Agroforestry & Perennial Cropping Systems (EUABABAD), Forest Ecosystem Services & Carbon/Conservation Programs (AFAMAAAJ)

Keywords

• Commercial solar projects
• Carbon credit development
• Commercial forestry operations
• Tree nut exports
• Agricultural testing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Harare

HQ country

Zimbabwe

HQ region

Africa

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Timber and Wood Products: Revenue from commercial forestry operations including kiln-dried timber (RST), creosote-treated poles, sawdust briquettes, and sustainable firewood. Operates one of the largest commercial forestry operations in Zimbabwe with 45,900Ha total land area, 8,900Ha conservation area, and FSC certification across estates.
2. Agricultural Produce Export: Revenue from export of macadamia nuts (828 Ha planted, 3,500–5,000 tons projected over 5 years), Haas avocados (432 Ha, 8,000+ tons expected), bananas (193 Ha, 8,000 tons annually), and cereals including wheat, barley, soya, and sorghum (484 Ha under pivot irrigation).
3. Carbon Credits: Revenue from sale of carbon credits generated through clean cookstove distribution (120,000 cookstoves distributed as of May 2025, targeting 160,000), forest restoration, and conservation agriculture projects under the Cicada Climate Fund structure.
4. Solar Energy Projects: Revenue from development, financing, and operation of commercial and industrial solar projects, including design, installation, and performance guarantees, with a 25MW project pipeline in Zimbabwe.
5. Agricultural Testing Services: Revenue from Cicada Agri-Tech laboratory services including soil tests, water tests, nematode analysis, MRL analysis, and plant nutrient testing. The lab is pursuing ISO 17025 certification for international market standard compliance.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Cicada is a diversified Southern African agri-business operating five integrated divisions: Cicada Agriculture manages 36,000+ Ha of land producing macadamias, Haas avocados, bananas, and cereals for export; Border Timbers runs 32,000 Ha of commercial forestry producing FSC-certified kiln-dried timber and creosote-treated transmission poles; Cicada Solar develops, finances, and operates commercial and industrial solar and hybrid energy projects with a 25MW pipeline; Cicada Carbon issues verified carbon credits through clean cookstove distribution (160,000 stoves), watershed soil carbon, and 100-million-tree reforestation projects; Cicada Agri-Tech provides ISO 17025-track soil, water, and plant tissue laboratory testing services.

Product overview

Cicada is a diversified Southern African agri-business operating across five divisions: Cicada Agriculture manages land assets producing macadamias, avocados, bananas, and cereals; Cicada Border Timbers operates large-scale commercial forestry and kiln-dried timber production; Cicada Solar develops and operates commercial and industrial solar energy projects with a 25MW pipeline; Cicada Carbon develops carbon credit projects including clean cooking stove distribution, watershed soil carbon, and tree-planting initiatives; and Cicada Agri-tech provides soil, water, and plant testing laboratory services. Together these divisions form an integrated sustainable agriculture and green economy platform spanning Zimbabwe.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cicada Agriculture: Sustainable agriculture operations including forestry, macadamias, avocados, bananas, and row crops across Zimbabwe.
• Cicada Border Timbers
• Cicada Carbon
• Cicada Solar
• Cicada Agri-Tech

Products and services

• Cicada Agriculture Manages extensive land assets across Zimbabwe for the sustainable production of macadamias (828 Ha), Haas avocados (432 Ha), bananas (193 Ha), and cereals (484 Ha under pivot irrigation), with established export marketing channels. Operates a portfolio of estates spanning over 36,000 Ha including Katiyo, Sheba, Imbeza, Tilbury, Charter, Chipinge Bananas, Makandi, and Northern Farming estates.
• Cicada Border Timbers One of the largest commercial forestry operations and a leading producer of kiln-dried timber in Zimbabwe, specializing in cultivation, milling, and processing of hardwood and softwood timber including pine and eucalyptus. Total forestry area is 32,000Ha with 20,000Ha planted across four estates in the Eastern Highlands (Charter, Sheba, Imbeza, Tilbury). Combined sawmill capacity of 40,000m³ annually (Charter 25,000m³ + Sheba 15,000m³), plus 20,000m³ annual transmission pole capacity at the Nyakamete pole yard. Products include FSC-certified rough-sawn timber, creosote-treated poles with 25-year guarantee, sawdust briquettes, and sustainable firewood for the tobacco industry.
• Cicada Solar Develops, finances, and operates commercial and industrial solar energy projects in Zimbabwe, with a 25MW project pipeline. Provides end-to-end delivery including site-specific design, installation (via partner Terra Firma Solutions), performance guarantees, and innovative funding packages up to 8 years with competitive interest rates for credit-approved customers. Includes grid-tied, solar-diesel hybrid, and battery energy storage configurations with net metering benefits.
• Cicada Carbon Develops verified carbon credit projects addressing deforestation in Zimbabwe, including: a Clean Cooking Project distributing BURN Ecoa and Kuniokoa rocket cookstoves (120,000 distributed as of May 2025, targeting 160,000 by December 2025 across 9 provinces); a VM042 Nyangani Watershed Soil Carbon project focused on catchment restoration, conservation agriculture, and Afromontane forest preservation; and a Direct Seeding A/R project replanting 100 million indigenous trees over 30 years in degraded miombo systems. Each cookstove saves approximately 1 Ha of woodland over its useful life.
• Cicada Agri-Tech Provides agricultural testing laboratory services at the Southerton facility in Harare. Services include soil tests (Basic, Standard, Texture), water tests (Irrigation, Microbiological, Comprehensive), nematode community analysis, compost maturity analysis, Mineralizable Nitrogen testing, MRL analysis, and plant nutrient testing. Pursuing ISO 17025 certification for international market standard compliance. Tiered pay-as-you-go pricing published in FY27 pricelist.

Quantifiable outcome

• ~14,000 hectares of deforestation potentially avoided through 120,000 cookstoves distributed
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Terra Firma SolutionscoreTechnology or IntegrationLeading SA-based solar engineering and installation firm that has built over 250 commercial projects with a total installed base of around 300MW. Terra Firma Solutions provides Cicada Solar with access to cutting-edge renewable energy technology and installation expertise.
• BURN (Ecoa & Kuniokoa)coreTechnology or IntegrationBURN manufactures the Ecoa and Kuniokoa clean cookstoves distributed through Cicada Carbon's Clean Cooking Project. Initial phase targets distribution of 160,000 cookstoves by December 2025, with 120,000 already distributed as of May 2025.
• ARDA (Agricultural Rural Development Authority)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCicada Agriculture operates Katiyo Estates under a 30-year lease with ARDA, with operations commencing in 2019. 770 Ha of land cleared, graded, and electrified; 200 Ha of macadamias and 300 Ha of avocados planted. Also Fairacres estate managed under contract with ARDA.
• Small-Scale Conservation Farming CommunitiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCicada Agriculture delivers conservation farming programs with small-scale farmers in Honde Valley (Katiyo) and Gairezi (Nyanga district), providing skills, knowledge, inputs, and market access. Pilot program grew from 30 farmers in 2022 to 90 farmers in 2023 growing maize and sugar beans.
• Tobacco IndustryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCicada Border Timbers collaborates directly with the tobacco industry to combat deforestation by supplying sustainable firewood. Annual investment of 1,000 Ha per annum towards sustainable firewood supply for tobacco curing, with 500 Ha allocated at Tilbury estate.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Kakuzi PLC: Kenya-listed diversified agriculture company producing macadamias, Hass avocados, tea, and livestock — directly comparable to Cicada Agriculture's crop mix and African operating context. Cicada's current COO Brendon Scott was previously COO of Kakuzi.
• Tanganda Tea Company: Zimbabwe-listed diversified agriculture producer of tea, coffee, macadamias, and avocados. Directly comparable to Cicada on operating geography (Zimbabwe Eastern Highlands), crop mix (especially macadamias and avocados), and export orientation.
• African Plantations for Sustainable Development (APSD): Sustainable forestry and carbon project developer in sub-Saharan Africa with FSC-certified plantations. Closely comparable to Cicada's combined Border Timbers forestry operations and Cicada Carbon project portfolio, with shared investor base linkages to HÖEGH Capital Partners' Africa strategy.
• South Pole Group: Global carbon credit project developer and climate solutions provider. Directly comparable to Cicada Carbon's portfolio of cookstove, reforestation, and soil carbon projects, and to the Cicada Climate Fund structure for institutional carbon buyers.
• PowerGen Renewable Energy: Pan-African distributed solar and energy services provider for commercial and industrial customers. Directly comparable to Cicada Solar's C&I focus, project development model, and African operating geographies.
• Criterion Africa Partners: Africa-focused private equity investor in forestry and agriculture. Comparable institutional PE-style investor in similar assets; Cicada's Finance Director Takunda Mutematsaka previously worked at Criterion overseeing forestry and agriculture assets in Southern Africa.

Emerging players

• BURN Manufacturing: East Africa-based clean cookstove manufacturer and carbon credit project operator. Direct peer via Cicada Carbon's cookstove distribution program (Cicada distributes BURN's Ecoa and Kuniokoa stoves), with overlap in carbon-credit monetization of avoided deforestation.

Broad incumbents

• New Forests: Global sustainable forestry and land-use investment manager. Comparable as a broader incumbent in FSC-certified forestry investment and ecosystem services markets; Cicada's Deputy Chair Paul West was previously Commercial Director at New Forests.
• Tongaat Hulett: Large Southern African diversified agri-business historically operating in sugar, starch, and land conversion. A broad incumbent comparable to Cicada on African diversified agri-footprint, although Tongaat's portfolio and scale are significantly larger and currently undergoing business rescue.
• ENGIE Energy Access: ENGIE's African distributed energy and solar business spanning C&I and residential solar. A broad incumbent comparable to Cicada Solar on Africa renewable energy distribution, though operating at much larger scale and broader geographies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CicadaHoldings
• Instagraminstagram.com/cicadaholdings
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cicada-holdings
• Xtwitter.com/cicadaholdings

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cicada