We are proceeding with a consultation on the new strategic study for the development of the primary sector, which will include tools to facilitate the rural world, said Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment Dr. Maria Panayiotou. The Minister was speaking at the 10th Meeting of the Monitoring Committee of the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 and at the 3rd Meeting of the Monitoring Committee of the Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan, which took place in the morning in Lefkara of Larnaca district. In her address, the Minister said that "the completion of 20 years since the accession of Cyprus to the EU and the implementation of the Common Agricultural Policy is an important milestone" and noted that "despite all the difficulties and problems that arose, especially during the first years of implementation, perseverance and hard work led to significant steps forward". The Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, said Dr. Panayiotou is "leading efforts to simp lify the Common Agricultural Policy. We submit constructive positions, create dynamic partnerships and synergies with other member states and act in a way to ensure that the policies adopted are for the benefit of our Cypriot farmers, first and foremost." In her address, the Minister also referred to the Cyprus presidency of the EUMED-9 cooperation in 2024, i. e. the 9 Member States of the European Union bordering the Mediterranean Sea and noted that "from the first moment we took advantage of this opportunity, organising monthly meetings of the nine Ministers before or after the meetings of the Council of Agriculture Ministers." In the context of the Cyprus Presidency of MED9, the Minister said "we have agreed with my eight other counterparts on a Joint Communiqué, which we issued the day before yesterday." She said this is an important development because the Joint Declaration is a strong message of unity and cooperation among the Mediterranean countries, "a cooperation that aims to find effective and im mediate ways to address the challenges we face in the agricultural sector, taking into account the specific circumstances of the Mediterranean region." Dr. Panayiotou described as important the hosting in Cyprus on September 3, 2024, of the Official Meeting of MED9 Agriculture Ministers, adding "we are committed to intensify cooperation with the aim of formulating common strategies, which will focus on creating a sustainable agricultural sector, resilient and able to respond to future challenges, especially in the face of extreme weather conditions and drought caused by climate change." Noting that "the period we are going through is particularly demanding since at the same time both the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 and the Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan 2023-2027 are being implemented", she noted that at the Ministry of Agriculture "we have repeatedly stated, young people will continue to be at the heart of our policy since they are the future of Cypriot agriculture. We expect the imple mentation of investments as well as payments to be intensified in the near future." Our goal, she continued, "is to utilise all European funds allocated to Cyprus by paying 100% of the funds by the end of 2025. Therefore, the support and commitment of the Government in promoting and resolving any problems that arise during the implementation of investment actions is emphasised" and we support and facilitate producers in their efforts. The aim, concluded the Minister of Agriculture, is for the new strategy for the development of the primary sector to include tools that can face the challenges and facilitate farmers even more. Source: Cyprus News Agency