Program to combat desertification in Cyprus and Greece gets underway in Nicosia

LIFE AgrOassis, a program that aims to tackle the desertification of land in Cyprus and Greece, kicked off today, during an event in Nicosia. The project, with a €2,326,710.16 budget, is funded by the EU by 60% and focuses on the sustainability of agricultural practices in the two countries.

Addressing the event, Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Costas Kadis, underlined the importance of sustainable practices, that will strengthen the agricultural economy, especially after the impact the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, have had.

Kadis spoke of the challenges posed by climate change and particularly outlined the risk of the desertification of Cyprus. He also referred to the importance of the preservation of biodiversity and spoke of the goal for the use of composted organic waste in fields.

As announced by Lanoa Institute, administrator of the project, the three main actions include the construction of tree fences, the reduced processing of soil and the composting of green waste. The aim is to replace energy-consuming practices that harm the ground’s fertility and contribute to its erosion and, eventually, to desertification.