Agriculture minister announces further support for financing and sustainable investment

Agros, Cyprus. Agriculture Minister Christos Senekis announced further support measures on Saturday to facilitate access to financing and sustainable investment in the agricultural sector. Speaking at the Contribution of Rural Women event, he highlighted the need to ensure that rural women can benefit from new opportunities.

Consultation on agricultural policy after 2027

Senekis said a broad consultation with the agricultural community on planning the new agricultural policy after 2027 would take place on October 8, with rural women participating.

He said the ministry aimed to create conditions for women’s inclusion and turn their knowledge and experience into greater employment and development opportunities in the countryside.

“Our responsibility is to support this momentum and ensure that the opportunities created are also accessible to women who want to take the next step,” he said.

The planned measures were not merely a matter of equality, he added, but part of a wider plan to revive rural areas and support their productivity.

Investment and young farmer support

Senekis said the €454 million strategic plan for the Common Agricultural Policy for 2023–2027 aimed to support investment, the modernisation of agricultural holdings and young people choosing to work in the primary sector.

More than 1,200 applications were submitted under the recent large-scale investment measure, requesting approximately €200 million in funding, according to the minister. A further 267 applications were received for the young farmers’ support scheme.

Community initiatives and local traditions

Senekis described the European Union’s LEADER programme, which fosters rural growth through community-driven planning, as an important tool for mountainous and rural communities because it supports initiatives developed by the communities themselves.

He highlighted the village of Agros as an example of knowledge passed down through generations, including the use of roses, the production of rose water, and the preparation of spoon sweets and cold cuts.

These traditions had developed into productive activity extending beyond the village, he said. He noted that Agros roses had gained European recognition as protected geographical indications, alongside local Choiromeri, Lountza and Pitisilias sausages.