Cyprus and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) have agreed to enhance their cooperation in three critical areas: food waste reduction, water resource management, and food security. The decision was reached during an official meeting in Nicosia between Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment Maria Panayiotou and FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu.
The meeting took place at the Ministry of Agriculture as part of Dongyu’s two-day official visit to Cyprus. It was preceded by a high-level roundtable titled “The Impact of Climate Change on Food Security in the Mediterranean”, attended by senior officials from the Ministry and a representative of the Republic of Cyprus’ Permanent Mission to the FAO in Rome.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Panayiotou said that beyond its ceremonial nature, the visit served as a valuable platform for exchanging views and setting concrete steps toward deepening collaboration with the FAO.
She announced that, following her proposal, Cyprus and the FAO have jointly decided to initiate engagement with the Organization’s experts on tackling food waste, optimising water resource management, and reinforcing food security.
“These are three particularly critical areas for us, where we need the expertise and support of the Organization’s specialists,” said Panayiotou. The FAO Director-General responded positively, and the Minister confirmed that procedural steps to implement the agreed actions will begin in the coming days.
During the meeting, Panayiotou also briefed Dongyu on Cyprus’ progress in establishing strategic feedstock reserves, as well as the launch of plans to create similar reserves for human-consumption grains, a move aimed at strengthening the country’s resilience against potential food crises.
In addition, the Minister officially announced Cyprus’ intention to bid for hosting the 36th FAO Regional Conference for Europe, expected to take place in the first half of 2028. She expressed hope that the Organization would support Cyprus’ candidacy, saying that hosting such a significant international event would be a great honour for the country.
