The Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment of the Republic of Cyprus, Maria Panayiotou (who is actively preparing for Cyprus’ upcoming Cypriot Presidency of the EU Council in the first half of 2026), emphasised, in an interview with Agence Europe on Monday 14 July in Brussels, the importance of maintaining a balance between environmental and climate objectives, and the competitiveness of the agricultural sector.
Called upon to chair the negotiations in the Agriculture Council on the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) for six months in early 2026, she described her role as an honest broker as “crucial” in ensuring that farmers receive incentives encouraging them to produce sustainably and according to high quality standards.
“This is one of our priorities and it reflects our vision for the new CAP framework”, she added.
“This balance is essential and we must always keep in mind that it is the farmers who produce the food we put on our tables every day”.
Six priorities of the future Cypriot Presidency. Asked about the main priorities of the future Cypriot Presidency of the Council regarding to the post-2027 CAP, Maria Panayiotou listed the following:
- making the agricultural sector more attractive to foster investment and innovation;
- ensuring generational renewal by supporting young farmers’ entry into the sector, as the current farming population is ageing;
- securing a fair position for farmers within the food supply chain, with a stable and fair income;
- striking a balance between agricultural competitiveness and the EU’s climate ambitions;
- strengthening the sustainability of rural areas and food production across Europe;
- helping farmers cope with crises (climate, geopolitical) through effective crisis management instruments.
Water management. Regarding water issues, Cyprus is pursuing a holistic strategy to address growing challenges.
During its Med9 Presidency in 2024, a joint declaration on the impact of drought on the primary sector was adopted, followed by a joint letter sent by the nine countries to European Commissioners.
Cyprus’ goal is to cover 100% of drinking water needs from non-conventional sources, notably via desalination, which is already used to supply the population.
“This will ensure that the water reserved in our dams (we have more than 100 dams), is used to benefit agriculture”, explained Maria Panayiotou.
Cyprus is also investing in infrastructure for the reuse of treated wastewater: currently, 90% of this water is used by farmers, covering 20% of their needs, a share expected to rise even further.
A €3 million funding programme is also being offered to hotels to enable them to install their own desalination units. At the same time, a water network modernisation programme is being carried out to reduce leaks, using detection and monitoring technologies.
With regard to the water resilience strategy, the Minister insisted that it is essential for it to be accompanied by the financial instruments necessary to implement the planned actions.
Lastly, CAP funds — especially the direct payments expected in December — are vital for Cypriot farmers. The Minister also mentioned a €67 million programme currently underway to support new agricultural projects and the purchase of equipment. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)