The Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment Dr Kostas Kadis participated as a guest speaker at the Conference on "Challenges and Perspectives for a Blue-Green Aquaculture", held in Athens, on 15 and 16 April 2022.
This conference was attended by high-level guests, including the Prime Minister of Greece Mr. Konstantinos Mitsotakis, the Vice President of the European Commission Mr. Mr. Christos Staikouras, Minister of Finance of Greece, Mr. Georgios Georgantas, Minister of Rural Development & Food of Greece, Mr. Giannis Stournaras, Governor of the Bank of Greece, and distinguished speakers from dozens of countries. It also highlighted the sector's contribution to food security, creating new jobs, improving the well-being of local communities and providing consumers with products that are affordable, have a low carbon footprint and are of high quality and high nutritional value.
The Minister, in his address, highlighted the importance of the Aquaculture Sector, stressing that it is a key pillar of both the European Common Fisheries Policy and the Blue Economy. After presenting information on the importance of Aquaculture at global and European level, he gave data on the situation of the Sector in Cyprus. In particular, he mentioned that the aquaculture activity in Cyprus represents, both in quantity and value, more than 80% of the national production of fishery products. It is the third most important export product of the wider primary sector, after halloumi and potatoes, conquering more and more markets in recent years. He pointed out that this is not a coincidence, since, admittedly, Cypriot aquaculture produces products of very high quality and nutritional value. Presenting the Government's plans for the strengthening of the aquaculture sector, Kadis said that the Ministry of Agriculture, in cooperation with Cyprus' aquaculture enthusiasts, has developed the relevant multi-year National Strategic Plan, with a horizon of 2030. In this national plan, he said, the relevant European Union guidelines and the necessary provisions and actions to achieve the objectives of the European Green Deal, including the Farm to Plate Strategy, have been incorporated. He also referred to the recent approval by the Council of Ministers of Cyprus of the Cyprus Marine, Fisheries and Aquaculture Operational Programme for the period 2021-2027, one of the central priorities of which is the promotion of sustainable aquaculture activities and the processing and marketing of aquaculture products. The Minister noted that with the actions of this Programme, the Recovery and Resilience Plan and through the national budget, Cyprus is attempting the transition to a sustainable and competitive aquaculture, which will contribute to climate neutrality, integrate the circular economy and have an important and enhanced role in food security and the production of affordable, high quality and high nutritional value products. In conclusion, he noted that aquaculture is a multidimensional sector and a prerequisite for the successful achievement of the objectives is cooperation and support from all stakeholders, such as the competent authorities of the countries at both political and technical level, aquaculture farmers and their organisations, the academic and research community, traders and the processing industry, producers of raw materials, consumer associations, as well as representatives of society and citizens.
(NΓ)
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