Agricultural policy developments in Cyprus and Greece

In Cyprus, the Ministry of Agriculture has introduced new financial tools to support the primary sector and rural communities. Under the 2023–2027 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Strategic Plan, which includes €454 million in total funding, new mechanisms allow farmers with approved investment plans to access liquidity through banking institutions. These measures aim to improve competitiveness and support the transition to sustainable production.

Efforts to support the sector have expanded to include resource management. In Cyprus, a revised proposal for irrigation water resource allocation has been submitted to the Cabinet to address hydrological conditions. To combat water scarcity, the government intends to complete three desalination units by 2031, a move intended to attract younger professionals to a sector where the average farmer age is 63.

In Greece, discussions regarding the primary sector have focused on technical and administrative challenges. Officials have addressed the need for extensions regarding rights transfers due to delays in declarations and technical difficulties in identifying agricultural plots. There have also been requests to allow the correction of formal errors in subsidy applications, particularly concerning sheep and goat milk production.