Cyprus and Greece sign memorandum renewing cooperation in agriculture

Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Maria Panayiotou, and Greek Minister of Rural Development and Food, Costas Tsiaras, signed a memorandum of cooperation for 2025-2027, aiming to develop joint actions to tackle the effects of climate crisis in agriculture. 

Within the framework of this memorandum, Cyprus and Greece join forces for actions both on a bilateral level, as well as on a European level, the Ministers said, following the signing ceremony, at the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment in Nicosia.

Some of the actions, Panayiotou said, include the initiative for a proposal of a new European fund that will cover damages in agriculture caused by the effects of climate change, such as drought, heatwaves or floods. Also, she announced that Cyprus and Greece will work together to tackle the cases of potatoes that are imported in the Greek market from third countries, but sold as Cypriot potatoes.

Panayiotou said that farmers in Cyprus and Greece face the same challenges and underlined the importance of their coordinated participation at EU Council level. She also noted that the 2025-2027 cooperation, will allow the exchange of know-how in agriculture, live-stock, rural development, risk management and climate adjustment.

Concluding, she said that the issues promoted by the MED9 countries, are now receiving more general understanding within the EU Council. Minister Tsiaras confirmed and added that this reaffirms the soundness of the initiative.

Tsiaras underlined that Cyprus and Greece stand by each other and noted that the two countries are facing similar challenges. "The greatest challenge of this time is the climate crisis," he said and noted the importance of creating a new European fund.

He said that the primary sector of the economy needs to be a priority and it needs to become resilient, which calls for certain policies and decisions on behalf of the leadership in both countries.

(Source: CNA)