It gives me great pleasure to address the 1st Pancyprian Conference on: "Rural Development - from Research to Practice". This is an excellent initiative that aspires to unite the research community of Cyprus in the effort for targeted research in the agricultural sector. I congratulate the National Rural Network, the Department of Agriculture, the Institute of Agricultural Research and the Cyprus University of Technology for co-organising today's Conference. At the same time, I warmly thank all the researchers participating in the Conference, presenting, in the short time available, the results of the hard work that preceded it.
A quick glance at the broad agenda and the speakers of the Conference is enough to understand its importance and value. The environment and agriculture, the introduction and use of new technologies and the role of agriculture in the food industry are the sections developed. These are issues interwoven with the strategic objectives of the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, as well as with the objectives of the Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union.
Nowadays, agriculture has a broad role to play, since it is directly linked to the protection of the environment, the saving of natural resources and the production of safe and quality food. In particular, ensuring food security is a major and emerging challenge due to the consequences of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
At the same time, the practice of agriculture in our time no longer depends on manpower alone, but on familiarity with the use of new technologies and the application of innovations.
Therefore, actions such as the present one provide an opportunity for institutions and individuals involved in applied research to present the results of research work related to Cypriot agriculture and to exchange views with rural development agencies, in order to put research results into practice and, consequently, to improve the production process. Such actions highlight the results of research and broaden the prospects for the implementation of original and innovative research work, disseminating the knowledge generated to scientific and professional groups involved in the agricultural sector.
As the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, we support in every way actions such as the present one, which is fully in line with the objectives we have set in the context of our strategic planning for the 2023-2027 programming period.
As the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, we support in every way actions such as the present one, which is fully in line with the objectives we have set in the framework of our strategic planning for the 2023-2027 programming period. By way of example, I would like to mention the inclusion in this planning of ecological programmes included in the chapter on direct interventions, environmental actions in the chapter on rural development and investment measures that prioritise environmental actions and actions to promote innovation.
In conclusion, I would like to express my optimism about the course and prospects for the modernisation and reconstruction of our agricultural sector. Today's initiative proves that our country can promote and exploit research results in the field of agriculture. I am confident that the research results that will be presented during the Conference will be exploited in the most appropriate way to improve the competitiveness of the agricultural sector of Cyprus.
Again, I warmly congratulate the organizers, the speakers and all those who support this important effort. I wish every success in the work of the Conference and hope that it will become an institution for the agricultural development of our country.
(ΕΠ/ΣΧ)
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