CyI President Prof. Stavros Malas participated in the 7th Pancyprian Conference on Milk, Agriculture, and Livestock Farming, delivering a speech titled “Climate Change and Challenges for Livestock Farming in Cyprus”, on Tuesday, June 18, 2024, at Ktima Koushoumi in Nicosia. The Conference was attended by the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Dr Maria Panayiotou.

 

In his address, he highlighted that Cyprus is at the forefront of climate change, with significant negative impacts on agriculture and livestock farming. He emphasized that Smart Agriculture and Livestock Farming, which combines information technologies, comparative genomics, and innovation, is the primary solution to mitigate these impacts. Prof. Malas discussed specific actions needed in livestock farming (cattle and sheep/goat farming) to maximize economic benefits from both milk and meat production.

 

The 7th Pancyprian Conference on Milk, Agriculture, and Livestock Farming is the premier gathering of professionals in the primary sector in Cyprus. This sector is a key pillar of the Cypriot economy, with significant potential for growth and improvement. When combined with specialized processing activities, it can further contribute to the sustainable development of the Cypriot economy.

 

In recent years, the sector has undergone significant changes, and the opportunities for improvement and competitiveness are increasing, sending positive signals to industry professionals for further growth through the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and investments in new methods, technologies, and practices. However, there are longstanding challenges that remain unresolved and hinder the efforts of primary sector professionals to transition to a new era.