With the aim of identifying the needs and challenges faced by farmers in Cyprus, the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development, and the Environment, Christos Senekis, announced the launch of a broad consultation with the agricultural community, with the first open consultation scheduled for October 8 in anticipation of the new CAP period after 2027, which—as he said— “must respond to the actual conditions under which Cypriot farmers are called upon to produce.”
According to a statement from the Ministry of Agriculture, in his remarks at the 46th Pan-Cyprus Sweet Potato Festival in Sotira, Mr. Senekis said that our goal is, through a substantive dialogue with farmers and all stakeholders, to identify their needs, their challenges and suggestions, and to incorporate them into the planning for the next CAP period.
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He noted that “a key tool for supporting our farmers is the Strategic Plan for the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) 2023–2027, with total funding of 454 million euros.”
As the Minister of Agriculture said “the response of producers to the measures in the strategic plan is particularly encouraging, and the increased participation of our farmers reflects the willingness of our agricultural community to invest, modernize their farms, and continue to be active in the primary sector.
He added that for the major investment measure and the first-time establishment of new farmers alone—with a total budget of 67.5 million euros— applications correspond to a requested amount of aid of approximately 210 million euros.”
In his opening remarks, Mr. Senekis said that we know that the approval of an investment alone is not enough if the producer does not have access to the financing needed to carry it out.
For this reason, he continued, with a view to further supporting investments in the agricultural sector, we have moved forward, following consultations with the Ministry of Finance and financial institutions, with the development of a Financing Tool.
As the Minister of Agriculture noted, this is a tool that responds to a long-standing demand from the agricultural community and facilitates productive investments.
He added that, at the same time, “we are also looking ahead to the future, and in this context, we believe that the new phase of the Common Agricultural Policy after 2027 must respond to the actual conditions under which Cypriot farmers are called upon to produce. That is why we are launching a broad consultation with the agricultural community, with the first open consultation scheduled for October 8.”
Regarding water, the Minister noted that it is a critical and long-standing challenge for the primary sector, adding that as the Ministry of Agriculture “we fully recognize the importance of agriculture to the region’s economy and social cohesion, and we understand the difficulties farmers face due to restrictions on the availability of irrigation water.”
However, he continued, “despite the difficult conditions that prevailed recently, the improvement in the hydrological situation in 2026 allowed for a revision of the initial water allocations by a decision of the Council of Ministers in June 2026 and the allocation of increased quantities—3.5 million cubic meters for irrigation purposes in various regions of Cyprus, including the Integrated Plan for the Southern Aqueduct.”
As the Minister noted at the same time, we are moving forward with the implementation of the largest investment program ever undertaken in the water sector.
He explained that during the 2024–2030 period, projects totaling over €200 million are being implemented for desalination, the reuse of treated water, the reduction of water losses, and the upgrading of water networks, while at the same time a broader investment program for water projects worth hundreds of millions of euros is being promoted, with the goal of ensuring long-term water security for citizens, agriculture, and the country’s economy.
Mr. Senekis recalled that “as recently as September 2, the Cabinet updated its desalination plans, deciding to build three new Permanent Desalination Plants in Dekelia, Agia Thekla, and Polis Chrysochous.”
It noted that “together with the new Permanent Desalination Plant in East Limassol, the four new plants will have a total projected capacity of 180,000 cubic meters of water per day, while the new Permanent Desalination Plant in Agia Thekla, with a capacity of 30,000 cubic meters per day.
As the Minister of Agriculture stated , “our goal is to gradually reduce our reliance on rainfall and reservoir reserves for water supply, so that we can provide larger quantities of water to our farmers and irrigators.”
He went on to say that “Our long-term strategic plan is to be able to meet 100% of the country’s water needs with desalinated water, and our goal is to use the infrastructure we are building today to to safeguard the water supply and, at the same time, ensure greater security for irrigation and our primary sector.”
Regarding the kolokasi, to which the festival was dedicated, Mr. Senekis said that its cultivation is inextricably linked to Sotira and, more broadly, to the region of the free district of Famagusta.
He added that approximately 750 decares of Jerusalem artichokes are currently cultivated in the region, 600 of which are located in the municipal district of Sotira.
Referring to the festival, the Minister of Agriculture said that “it reminds us that agriculture is not just about production; it is about people, it is knowledge passed down from generation to generation, it is the flavors we grew up with, and it is part of a place’s history and identity.”
Source: CNA
