Nikos Christodoulides: Climate change highlights the importance of agriculture

President Nikos Christodoulides stated on Saturday evening at the 9th Rural Culture Festival in Lofou that strengthening the primary sector is essential not only for agriculture itself but also for addressing the effects of climate change.

He noted that the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy and the funds to be allocated under it will be among the priorities of Cyprus’s presidency of the EU. The festival was organized by the Cyprus Agricultural Payments Organization.

According to the president, the government has already paid around €80 million to owners whose property was destroyed in the July wildfire and will continue providing assistance: Lofou will receive €200,000 for road repairs. Christodoulides emphasized the need for practical and substantial support for agriculture as a minimum state obligation.

He pointed out that the primary sector’s share in the Gross Domestic Product stands at 1.7%, whereas it once reached double-digit figures. Among the support measures, he mentioned €454 million from the EU Common Agricultural Policy for 2023–2027 and a national support program for young farmers amounting to €67.5 million.