Providing support to Cypriot rural areas and people living and working there is a basic priority of the government, Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment Maria Panayiotou said on Friday.
Addressing an event named ‘Agrotissa’ dedicated to female farmers Panayiotou said the government aims ‘to give a new momentum for progress and prosperity to the rural family’, utilising the Strategic Plan of the Common Agricultural Policy 2023-2027 with a total budget of pound 454 million in subsidies.
Panayiotou added that the Ministry has launched a scheme for small-scale investments aiming to improve the competitiveness of farms and rural sustainable development.
In the coming months, she added, the Ministry will launch the same scheme for larger – scale investments offering subsidies up to pound 400,000 per activity.
Furthermore, Panayiotou said that the Ministry also promotes actions which ‘foster equality, entrepreneurship and innovation, but also enhance female participation in the producti
ve process.’
Through the utilisation of financing tools, legislation and mechanisms offered by the EU as well as national resources and services ‘we work to improve the quality of life of the citizens in the rural areas, both male and female alike,’ the Minister added.
Panayiotou also noted that Cyprus Strategic Plan for Agricultural Development also features grands for projects under the LEADER programme which focuses on encouraging innovation and cooperation in order to tackle local development objectives to support small-scale community projects thereby improving the farmer’s quality of life.
‘We are determined to strengthen female participation at all levels of the Ministry’s competencies, as we provide extra points for the participation of women in business activities such as agrotourism and local craftmanship,’ she added.
Source: Cyprus News Agency