Cyprus may be heading for a fourth consecutive year of drought, according to the General Director of the Agriculture Ministry, Andreas Grigoriou, who warned that “things are not looking good”.
Speaking about the prolonged lack of rainfall, Mr Grigoriou said the Ministry is working to ensure sufficient quantities of water for household use and to avoid shortages. “We will try not to go thirsty,” he said, stressing that the Ministry is implementing the Cabinet decisions adopted in November 2024 and March 2025.
The new hydrological year begins with several projects under way, including additional desalination units that will secure adequate water supplies until the summer of 2026. At the same time, work continues to reduce losses in water networks and to promote a culture of responsible water use among citizens, especially as drought remains an ongoing issue in Cyprus.
“Our goal is to prevent interruptions in the water supply. We achieved that in 2024 and aim to maintain it through 2026 with the new desalination units,” he noted.
Despite these efforts, he emphasised that Cyprus remains dependent on rainfall. “Whether we like it or not, our country depends on rain. We are working to strengthen the water balance, but demand increases every year because of tourism and modern living,” he said.
Grigoriou explained that although projects are planned, “they require studies, design and time to implement”, all carried out under legality, transparency and good governance.
On the issue of water losses, he said they mainly involve non-revenue water- quantities lost through old or damaged networks. “By Cabinet decision, €8 million will be allocated to district authorities and €2 million to independent communities to repair networks and reduce losses,” he said.
He reminded that local authorities are responsible for maintaining water networks, while the Ministry supports them through awareness campaigns and smart irrigation-monitoring systems.
For the agricultural sector, he noted that rain-fed crops depend entirely on rainfall, while compensation is available through the Agricultural Risk Management Fund. In irrigated areas, about 60–65% of water comes from dams, a smaller share from boreholes, and roughly one-third from recycled water.
“This programme has been running for years and continues to expand. In the long term, irrigated crops will increasingly rely on recycled water,” he added.
Concluding, Grigoriou acknowledged that the climate crisis continues to place severe pressure on Cyprus. “We are in a region that, according to scientists, will be among the most affected by climate change. We already experience higher temperatures and extreme weather events. We even need prayers for rain,” he said.
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