Cyprus Building Permits Surge In 2024 Despite August Drop

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

January 24, 2025

The construction sector in Cyprus saw an 8.6% annual increase in building permits issued during the first eight months of 2024, according to the Statistical Service of Cyprus. However, August 2024 recorded a sharp 59.3% drop compared to the same month last year, primarily due to technical challenges with the new “Ippodamos” information system.

In August alone, 183 building permits were authorized, down from 450 in August 2023. These permits accounted for a total value of €87.4 million and a construction area of 66,200 square meters, paving the way for 323 housing units.

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Growth In The First Eight Months

Between January and August 2024, 5,062 building permits were issued, up from 4,662 in the same period in 2023. This represents a 16.3% increase in total value and an 18% rise in total construction area. The number of housing units also climbed by 16.2%, underscoring the sector’s robust performance.

August Decline Explained

The significant drop in August permits stems from the recent transition of authority for issuing permits. As of July 1, 2024, responsibility shifted from municipalities and district administration offices to newly established Local Government Organisations (LGOs). This change, coupled with operational issues in the “Ippodamos” system, led to delays in permit processing.

Despite these temporary setbacks, the overall rise in permits reflects steady growth in Cyprus’s construction sector, reinforcing its importance as a pillar of the national economy.

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Only 1% Of Cyprus Farms Use Precision Farming Technologies

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

July 24, 2026

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.

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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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