Cyprus to host MED9 summit focused on drought

Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou announced on Thursday that Cyprus will host the MED9 summit of agriculture ministers from September 1 to 3.

The MED9 group is an alliance of nine Mediterranean and Southern European Union member states: Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain.

Panayiotou stressed that the summit will be the first time a MED9 meeting focuses on the impact of drought on primary production. Cyprus is at the helm of the group for the whole of 2024.

Panayiotou said that the agriculture ministry has leveraged Cyprus’ presidency to organise meetings with the nine agriculture ministers in Brussels prior to the informal EU Council on agriculture.

“This initiative has helped further coordinate our common positions and promote our shared issues and requests to the Council,” Panayiotou explained.

She highlighted recent achievements, including significant simplifications in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) regulations, which benefit farmers.

 “We supported Cyprus’ request to the European Commission for aid to tackle the adverse conditions caused by prolonged drought, as presented to the Council of Agriculture Ministers last April,” Panayiotou added

The MED9 summit will take place in the Famagusta district, with all nine agriculture ministers and European Commissioner for Agriculture Janusz Wojciechowski in attendance.

“We are honoured to have Commissioner Wojciechowski join us and address the summit. He will also hold one-on-one meetings with me to discuss the challenges facing our primary sector,” she said.

The summit aims to develop a common policy to protect the future of farmers, the agri-food sector, food security, and biodiversity.

“This summit is a significant milestone towards creating a resilient agricultural sector that can meet future challenges, especially those posed by extreme weather conditions and droughts due to climate change,” the minister said.

She also added that thematic visits to agricultural facilities and state water management infrastructures are planned for the visiting ministers.

“These visits will provide insight into the specific challenges faced by Cyprus’ agriculture,” Panayiotou said.

“We experience daily the effects of reduced rainfall and increasing drought on both production and farmers’ incomes, so, in that regard, we are working on contingency plans with the Department of Water Development.

“We are exploring various measures to address potential prolonged drought conditions and will inform the Cabinet of our findings,” she concluded.

Meanwhile, Panayiotou also said that the investigation into potential disciplinary offenses in the Akamas peninsula will be extended.

The offences concern the former director of the Forestry Department Charalambos Alexandrou and the former director of the Environmental Department Costas Hadjipanayiotou, who are being accused by environmentalis groups of being responsible for destructive roadworks in the sensitive area.

Panayiotou said the investigation is still ongoing and that the deadline for submitting its findings “has been extended”.

The minister explained that she is awaiting the relevant documents from the investigating officer.

“I have not yet received the formal request for an extension [of the investigation],” Panayiotou said.

“However, from our verbal communication, I understand that the investigating officer will request an extension in the coming days.”