Cicada Agriculture is leading the way in regenerative agricultural and forestry practices across Zimbabwe

We manage extensive land assets across Zimbabwe for the sustainable production of Timber, Macadamias, Avocados, Bananas and Row Crops.

OUR OPERATIONS

…offering opportunities to expand production through our well-established marketing channels 

Macadamia Nuts 

With 828 Ha of established plantations, and an additional 800 Ha available for expansion we expect to produce 3,500 to 5,000 tons of macadamias over the next 5 years. 

Avocados 

We are growing 432 Ha of avocados, of which 307 Ha are maturing in the next 3-4 years, with volumes expected surpass 8,000 tons. 

Bananas

One of Zimbabwe’s single largest banana plantations at 193 Ha, Chipinge Banana Company produces 8,000 tons of bananas annually. 

Cereals

We currently have 484 Ha of cereal crops (wheat, barley, soya beans, and sorghum) under pivot irrigation. 

SHARING WITH OUR COMMUNITIES

Cicada's estates must not be islands of prosperity.

We aim to share a vertical slice of our economics and values with the communities outside our borders, providing them with the same international market access and pricing enjoyed by our estates.

Our plantation footprint spans the east of Zimbabwe, covering over 36,000 Ha of land directly under our management, with 20,000 Ha for Forestry, 10,000 Ha under Conservation and 6,000 Ha for Agriculture. This area is uniquely positioned in terms of rainfall, rivers and altitude to produce high value tree crops and forestry products.

CICADA PLANTATIONS
Project Case Studies

HARARE BUL AW A Y O MU T ARE ZIMBA B WE
Katiyo

Katiyo Estates

Former Katiyo Tea Estate under rehabilitation. A 30 year lease signed with ARDA and operations commenced in 2019. To date, 770 Ha of land cleared, graded and electrified; 200 Ha of macadamias and 300 Ha of avocados planted.

Sheba

Sheba

At an altitude of over 2,000m, Sheba is our highest altitude estate and well positioned to produce high quality pine lumber. The estate is over 5,000 Ha in extent, of which 3,000 is planted to pine. The balance will be planted over the next five years. Sheba is home to one of our two sawmills, producing 15,000m³ of sawn timber each year.

Imbeza

Imbeza

The Imbeza Valley is situated close to Mutare and is the primary source for transmission poles which are treated at the Nyakamete plant. The estate comprises 500 Ha, of which 300 is planted to Eucalyptus.

Nyakamete

Nyakamete

Nyakamete is our Mutare Pole Yard and head office. The site houses the autoclaves and storage facilities for our treated poles business, and can produce up to 20,000m³ of transmission poles annually.

Charter Estate

Charter

The Charter Estate is our largest pine estate at over 7,000 Ha. Also home to the larger of our two sawmills producing 25,000m³ of sawn timber each year.

Smaldeel Estate

Tilbury

Tilbury

The Tilbury estate is on the western boundary of the spectacular Chimanmani mountains. For many years it has been unproductive, but is now funded to produce sustainable firewood for Zimbabwe's tobacco industry. These funds will allow us to rehabilitate the estate and work on the significant high value conservation area it contains as part of the IUCN Chimanimani Bioshpere reserve.

Soil Lab

Soil Lab

As part of our ongoing efforts to understand our soils better, Cicada has established its own soil lab to provide chemical, physical and biological analysis of soils, water and plants. The Lab is in the process of securing its ISO certification which is expected in FY24.

Chipinge

Chipinge Bananas

The single largest producer of bananas in Zimbabwe, growing 8,000 - 9,000 tons p.a. across 200 Ha.

Makandi

Makandi Estates

Consisting of three estates in the hills of Chipinge. It produces 3,000 tonnes of macadamias and avocados p.a. across 700 Ha of planted area.

Northern Farming

Northern Farming

Northern Farming manages the Fairacres estate under a contract with ARDA producing 450 Ha of wheat and soya each year. We are also initiating a sustainable contract farming model in partnership with Katiyo in the Honde Valley.

Click or hover over the locations to discover more about each of our Cicada Plantations projects across Zimbabwe.

Agriculture
Forestry
Soil Science

Management

Brendon Scott
 

Chief Operating Officer

  • 34+ years of experience, 9 of which with the Group 

  • Extensive experience in Private Commercial Agriculture, managing and developing coffee, macadamias and avocado farming operations 

  • Previously worked in Kenya for Kakuzi PLC as Chief Operating Officer and prior to that he worked for Tanganda as Agricultural Director 

  • Graduated with Credit in Farm Mechanization and Management (HND,FM) from Lackham College of Agriculture (UK) 

Managing Director 

Nick Shaxson
 

  • 40+ years of experience in agriculture. Began employment at Makandi as the Manager for Smaldeel Estate in Sept 1998. Promoted to Makandi General Manager (overseeing all operations) in 2005 until 2009. 

  • Briefly worked in Tanzania, to broaden his experience in the agricultural sector. Returned Makandi as Managing Director in 2012. 

  • Graduated from the Royal Agricultural College (NDA) in 1983 and has been farming in various capacities ever since. 

Locate Us

Cicada Agriculture

4-12 Paisley Road,
Southerton,
Harare,
Zimbabwe

Contact Us