A revised strategy for the primary sector, with 11 actions, was approved by the Council of Ministers on Wednesday, with the aim of increasing the contribution of the primary sector to the country's GDP
In her statements after the conclusion of the Ministerial session, the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Maria Panagiotou said that the strategy includes 11 actions that lead to the promotion of new technologies, to independence from weather conditions, to the introduction of intelligent agriculture, to attracting young farmers to the agricultural profession, ensuring a fair and stable income for farmers and especially professional farmers, promoting high-quality products at affordable prices for consumers.
In addition, the actions included in the strategy lead to the promotion of actions to reduce the price gap between farmer and consumer, to the utilization of academic knowledge, to the promotion of cooperation between groups of producers, to the support of the main parties involved in the production of PDO and PGI products, in the promotion of financial tools for favorable lending to farmers, in the utilization of unexploited agricultural land, in training of farmers, in simplifying the procedures and services provided to farmers and in the study of crops, to increase production, with available water as a key factor and the climatic conditions of Cyprus.
According to Mrs. Panagiotou, the 11 actions included in the strategy, even though they are addressed to the entire agricultural world, give priority to professional farmers, through a scoring system that will be applied during the implementation phase of the measures.
"It is important to note that the strategy is the result of a dialogue with organized groups and agencies, active in the agricultural sector: agricultural organizations, producer groups, professional branches and others, as well as with the academic community," he noted.
The Minister added that the implementation of the 11 actions also leads to the implementation of important priorities of the governance program, since all 11 actions are linked to the governance program. He noted that the financing of the actions of the strategy is ensured either through the Common Agricultural Policy, or through national resources.
"After today's approval of the strategy, both the plans we announce and our priorities and goals will be inextricably linked to the 11 actions of the strategy", he underlined.
Agrocyprus: new platform for farmers
The Minister noted, moreover, that the current investment program of €10 million which is open until the end of November falls under the actions of the strategy. "The same applies to a series of measures we are taking to reduce the price gap between the producer and the consumer, such as the e-coffin, which is in operation, but also the Agrocyprus platform, which was put into operation before some twenty-four hours and aims to facilitate the trading of agricultural products in Cyprus", he pointed out.
As he mentioned, this platform has access to the officials of the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment and producers, who can find useful information and statistics for better planning of their next production, monitoring the traffic, i.e. the supply of products. The objective of the creation of the Agrocyprus platform is, among other things, to reduce the price gap between producer and consumer and to strengthen the culture of cooperation between producers, promoting transparency and participation in the market, said the Minister.
"The strategy for the development of the primary sector comes at a critical moment for Cypriot agriculture, giving it the momentum it needs to put itself on a growth trajectory and increase its contribution to the country's GDP. By exploiting new technologies and proper water management, it aims to boost production, attract new farmers and ensure a fair and stable income for professionals in the field. It aims at a durable and modern agriculture with quality products, where through transparent procedures the price gap between producer and consumer will be reduced", concluded the Minister.
Source: KYPE