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It is with great pleasure that I welcome today's conference, which is taking place in the area of Pitsilia, in the heart of Troodos here in the enchanting Agros and is dedicated to the rural farmer and her important contribution to the development of the rural economy, as well as to the revitalization of rural areas, especially the mountainous ones.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment has set as its primary objective the creation of conditions of development and prosperity for the inhabitants of our mountainous areas. Achieving this goal requires the implementation of policies covering a wide range of actions, from supporting primary production to promoting the creation of alternative side activities for residents, with particular emphasis on the mobilization and utilization of our rural women farmers. Such an integrated framework of interventions is provided by the implementation of the Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union, which is also being implemented in our country through the implementation of co-funded programmes. At the present stage, the implementation of both the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 and the implementation of the Strategic Plan of the Common Agricultural Policy 2023-2027 are in parallel.
The recent announcements of the two most important development measures of the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 of Regime 4.1 for providing financial support for investments in the primary sector and Measure 6.1 for providing support for the first establishment of new farmers have shown the strong interest of the rural world to modernise their existing farms, create new units and establish new rural people in the primary sector. The applications received and positively assessed represented a total grant amount of €70 million compared to €36 million foreseen in the original call for proposals. It is noteworthy that almost 20% of the applicants were women. The management of this issue was one of the first immediate challenges facing the new governance in agriculture and rural development issues.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, having studied the issue in all seriousness, decided to approve all applications that met the eligibility criteria, doubling the initial budget of the two calls. On 31 May 2023, the Council of Ministers was informed of our Ministry's intention to approve all eligible applicants granting funding in excess of €70 million to develop our primary sector at such a critical time for our farmers. I would like to stress that the investments approved largely involve the use of renewable energy sources (RES) in the primary sector with a decisive contribution to improving the overall performance of farms (economic and environmental).
It is also particularly important to note that the aid is mainly intended for young people who are either setting up in agriculture for the first time as heads of farms or are existing young farmers.
As regards the CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027, more than 30,000 applicants have shown interest in participating in the new extensification and agri-environmental measures. The evaluation of applications has proceeded at a fast pace and we expect to allocate more than €60 million to beneficiaries in December.
As the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, we are implementing our programming and proceeding with the announcement of new interventions that extend beyond the primary sector. We seek to highlight and support synergies between the agricultural and other sectors within a framework of sustainable development. In this effort, the role of women and Cypriot farmers is crucial. I mention, for example, the promotion of gastronomic tourism utilizing local products and especially the traditional products of our country, the promotion of our cultural tradition and the traditional rural landscape, the promotion of agrotourism as well as the promotion of the creation of farms open to visitors.
Through the Rural Development Programmes implemented to date, significant financial support has been granted for investments related to the promotion of alternative forms of tourism that are linked to the development of rural tourism. Recently, the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment approved the four Local Action Groups that will be active in the current programming period. These include the Troodos Development Company, which geographically covers the majority of the Troodos communities. We are confident that the Troodos Development Corporation, which has played a very important role in the regeneration of the wider area, will continue with the same passion to support the initiatives of local residents, especially rural women.
In this context, we all contribute, each in our own way, to the creation of a new economic model that emphasises the primary sector, takes into account the specificities and tradition of our land and exploits the know-how, innovation and human potential of our countryside.
Our main concern must be to change the culture of all of us, so that through cooperation and synergies within the local communities of Troodos a holistic development system can be developed that will make a decisive contribution to food security as well as the stay of our young people in the countryside.
In conclusion, I would like to thank all those who have been involved in the organization of today's workshop and assure you that the Government and the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment remain over time a close ally and partner with the peasantry, farmers, ranchers and the rural population, striving to respond directly and catalytically to solve the problems they face.
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