Why our farming system is failing

Cyprus farming has had a tremendous dumbing rate across the last 30 years. Especially after 2004, when Cyprus entered the EU to adopt all of the European Union's Common Agricultural Practices. Despite, the big efforts from all governments to fund and promote this beautiful occupation, farmers are getting harder and harder to find. While at the same time, local products are missing from the market, creating the bottom-neck effect. Don't be fooled this is not a Cyprus phenomenon, however, our small size makes the effect run its course faster than a speeding bullet.

Before and after Cyprus' entry into the EU, farmers on the island were not professionally occupied but were rather filling the niche in the market. Meaning most of them never relied on their produce to live by. They were always part-time farmers or retired from other jobs and wanted to live off their land, rather than provide food for the market needs. Again this is not a local problem, but a global pandemic. However, this disease is now spreading in many dangerous paths:

1. Large Importation rate for fresh food

2. Land dissertation

3. Risk of big company consolidation and monopoly profits

4. Bigger inflation risks

Nowadays, with the COVID pandemic and the Russian-Ukrainian war, the prices of all raw materials have skyrocketed, especially

for farmers. However, the prices are not consecutive with the reality farmers have to face. The limitation of marginal profits is very low, due to very small farm sizes and thereafter all the expenses are chasing farmers to the edge of economical disaster. Hence, the Darwinian law of genetics is finding its way to the surviving population of farmers in the Eastern Mediterranean island of the Republic of Cyprus. So, this surviving population is measuring its odds to get away from the crisis as a heroic figure, as it's always been doing. But, the bad news is even greater: despite the availability of land, water, and niche market people are not risking becoming farmers.

The solution to this problem is not easy and some don't even think this is a problem. Let's try and pinpoint what is corrupting the farming system from the inside in order to think of possible solutions:

1. Unstable crop production due to acute weather phenomena and bad management decisions

2. Fertilizers, electricity bills, and labour expensive farming

3. Lack of innovation to minimize management risks

4. Lack of Decision Support System both from the public and private sector

5. Inability to create marketing campaigns

6. Inability to scale up the business model in a sustainable way

My general suggestions as an agronomist and farmer would be:

1. Diversification of revenues(circular economy, agrivoltaics)

2. Use and/or decision support systems to minimize inputs and maximize yield

3. Try and encourage young people to start farming using innovative systems and according to market niche

4. Develop cooperation initiatives a)promote locally produced products under brand names b)minimize handling, promotion, and input costs