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Cyprus Boosts Digital Transformation with €168 Million Budget for 2025

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

The Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation, and Digital Policy in Cyprus has outlined an ambitious 2025 budget of €168 million, prioritizing a digital transformation that aims to enhance citizen services, bolster the economy, and strengthen cybersecurity. During a presentation to the Finance and Budget Parliamentary Committee, Deputy Minister Nicodemos Damianou highlighted the budget’s breakdown: €88.7 million for digital transformation, €47.6 million for research and innovation, and €8.4 million for cybersecurity.

Damianou emphasized the goal of creating an integrated data architecture, reducing outdated, isolated systems across departments. This ongoing commitment to digital reform, he noted, is crucial for modernizing the nation. He also addressed the significance of stable, high-speed internet connectivity, targeting 100% coverage by the end of 2025. This infrastructure upgrade will position Cyprus as a leading digital state, supporting connectivity and security across its population.

The budget also underscores cybersecurity, with focused investments to protect critical state infrastructure. While some question the relatively modest allocation for cybersecurity, Damianou pointed to additional resources in other governmental budgets, including the Digital Security Authority, to fortify defenses in this fast-evolving sector.

Damianou acknowledged that achieving these technological goals would involve addressing legacy systems and adapting to challenges faced by other countries. He affirmed that ongoing investment in digital reform is essential for Cyprus’s progress, reflecting the positive advancements reported in the European Commission’s latest Digital Decade Report.

Only 1% Of Cyprus Farms Use Precision Farming Technologies

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

Cyprus remains one of the European Union’s least digitised agricultural economies, with just 1% of farms using precision farming technologies in 2023, according to Eurostat.

The findings come as the EU continues to encourage the adoption of digital tools aimed at improving agricultural productivity, efficiency and sustainability.

Internet Access Expands, But Digital Uptake Lags

Internet access has improved across the bloc, although adoption remains uneven. Eurostat found that 43% of EU farms had internet access in 2023, with northern and central European countries leading the way.

Denmark, Germany, Slovakia, Latvia, the Czech Republic and Austria all reported internet access rates above 90%.

Greater connectivity, however, has not translated into widespread digital adoption. Farm management information systems, which help farmers manage day-to-day operations, were used by only about 11% of EU farms. France was a notable exception, with around 60% of farms using the technology.

Precision Farming Concentrated In Larger Operations

Robotics adoption also remained relatively limited, with only about 7% of EU farms using robotic technologies. Overall, around 18% of farms with utilised agricultural area employed at least one precision farming technology or practice in 2023.

These included robotics for plant protection, band spraying, variable-rate application, precision crop monitoring and soil analysis. Despite representing fewer than one in five farms, these holdings accounted for around 44% of the EU’s utilised agricultural area.

The figures suggest that precision farming remains concentrated among larger agricultural businesses, where investment in digital technologies is typically easier to support.

Cyprus Lags Behind EU Leaders

Luxembourg, Finland and Estonia recorded the highest shares of utilised agricultural area managed by farms using precision farming technologies, each exceeding 75%.

At the other end of the ranking, Cyprus recorded just 1%, while Greece and Romania reported between 10% and 15%. The results indicate that Cyprus remains at an early stage of digital adoption in agriculture, even as precision farming becomes more widespread across parts of the European Union.

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