Cyprus’ Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Maria Panayiotou, said the government was implementing a €168 million package to address the water crisis, and was promoting measures to the tune of €454 million under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
Addressing an event organised by the Fikardou Community Council on the evening of 4 July, the Minister said that supporting rural communities was a matter of development, social cohesion and the country's future. She stressed that the Government's objective is to ensure that villages have prospects, that young people remain in and invest in their local communities, and that those working in the agricultural sector feel that the State stands alongside them.
Referring to the challenges facing the primary sector, she referred to water scarcity, climate change and rising production costs, noting that water management remains one of the most significant challenges for agriculture.
She explained that the €168 million package focuses on new infrastructure, reducing water losses and increasing water production through three main pillars: strengthening water supply through desalination so that greater quantities of dam water can be reserved for irrigation, maximising the use of reclaimed water, and modernising irrigation networks.
Panayiotou noted that Cyprus currently reuses 90% of its reclaimed water, a figure well above the European Union average, covering 37% of the country's irrigation needs.
She added that the strategic objective is to meet all potable water supply needs through desalination plants, allowing water stored in dams to be used exclusively for irrigation.
The Minister also referred to the implementation of the CAP Strategic Plan, with a total budget of €454 million, which, she said, includes targeted measures to strengthen the competitiveness, sustainability and resilience of the primary sector.
She also said that preparations have already begun for the new, CAP Strategic Plan post-2027, adding that significant progress was made in the relevant discussions during the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union, that concluded at the end of June.
According to the Minister, the aim is to develop a new strategic plan to be implemented from the beginning of 2028, tailored to the needs of rural Cyprus and the primary agricultural sector.
Concluding her remarks, Panayiotou reaffirmed that the Ministry would continue supporting rural communities, stressing that strengthening Cypriot agriculture is an investment in food security, regional development and the country’s future.
(Source: CNA)
