Just 1% of Cyprus’ utilised agricultural area was managed in 2023 by holdings using precision agriculture technologies, according to data published Friday by Eurostat. That was the lowest share in the European Union, highlighting the country’s slow adoption of digital farming tools as agriculture becomes increasingly technology-driven across Europe.

A Clear Divide Across Europe

At the other end of the spectrum, Luxembourg, Finland and Estonia reported that more than 75% of utilised agricultural area was managed by farms using precision agriculture techniques.

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In Greece and Romania, the corresponding shares ranged between 10% and 15%, placing them well above Cyprus but still behind the EU’s leading countries.

Across the EU, about 18% of farms with utilised agricultural area used at least one precision agriculture technology or practice in 2023. Those holdings accounted for roughly 44% of the bloc’s total utilised agricultural area, suggesting adoption remains concentrated among larger or more technologically advanced farms.

What Precision Agriculture Includes

Precision agriculture covers a range of technologies designed to improve efficiency and reduce waste, including robotics, zone spraying for plant protection products, variable-rate application, crop monitoring and soil analysis.

Variable-rate technologies allow farmers to apply inputs automatically based on data from sensors, satellites or GPS systems, helping reduce costs, improve resource use and, in many cases, increase yields.

Connectivity Remains Key

Digital farming also depends on reliable internet access. Around 43% of EU agricultural holdings reported having internet access in 2023. In Denmark, Germany, Slovakia, Latvia, the Czech Republic and Austria, the share exceeded 90%.

Farm management information systems were used by about 11% of EU farms. France recorded the highest adoption rate, at around 60%, reflecting the wider use of digital management tools in agricultural operations.

Robotics Adoption Remains Limited

Robotics were used by about 7% of agricultural holdings across the EU in 2023. Eurostat defines robotics as machinery capable of operating autonomously without direct human intervention.

While digital technologies are becoming more common across European agriculture, the data show that adoption remains uneven. Cyprus continues to lag behind the rest of the EU, particularly in the use of precision farming technologies.