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Cyprus Public Sector Employment Increases 1.8% In 2025

Total employment in the broad public sector in Cyprus reached 78,124 in the fourth quarter of 2025, according to data released by Cyprus Statistical Service (Cystat). The figure includes employees in general government, local authorities, non-profit organizations and government-controlled enterprises.

Robust Growth In General Government Employment

Employment in the general government reached 73,006 in the fourth quarter of 2025. This category includes central government institutions, non-profit organizations and local authorities. Government employment totaled 55,215 individuals. Non-profit organizations accounted for 11,566 employees, while local authorities employed 6,225 people.

Sustained Annual Increases

For the full year 2025, employment in the broad public sector averaged 76,726. This represents an increase of 1,373 employees compared with 2024, equivalent to a 1.8% rise. Employment in general government increased by 1,684 people during the year. This corresponds to a 2.4% increase compared with 2024.

Contrasting Trends In Publicly Owned Enterprises

Employment in government-controlled companies and enterprises declined during the year. These entities recorded 311 fewer employees compared with 2024, representing a decrease of 5.8%. However, employment in these organizations increased during the fourth quarter alone. The sector recorded an increase of 152 employees, equivalent to 3.1%.

Local Authority Acceleration

Employment in local authorities increased by 585 employees compared with the same quarter in 2024. This corresponds to a rise of 10.4%. District local government organizations accounted for most of the increase. Employment in these bodies rose by 427 employees, representing an increase of 48.4%.

Strategic Implications

These figures illuminate ongoing trends in Cyprus’ public sector, where strategic adjustments in staffing not only influence service delivery but also reflect broader governmental responses to evolving economic and social imperatives. Stakeholders across the public and private sectors will be closely monitoring these developments as they assess the long-term implications for policy and public administration efficiency.

Cypriot Startup LIVIA Wins Europe’s Top Youth Entrepreneurship Competition

A Cypriot university team has won the European GEN-E 2026 youth entrepreneurship competition with LIVIA, a smart agriculture platform that combines satellite data, autonomous drones and artificial intelligence to help farmers improve irrigation, detect disease earlier and reduce pesticide use.

Alongside first place, the team received the FedEx Access Award, expanding its access to investors, entrepreneurs and industry experts across Europe.

Initially developed for vineyards, LIVIA analyses individual plants and turns complex data into practical recommendations. The team is now preparing its first functional product and pilot projects in Cyprus, with plans to expand into additional crops and international markets.

From An Idea To Smart Agriculture

LIVIA began with a simple question: how could satellite data create practical value in everyday life? After exploring applications ranging from meteorology to marine biology, the team identified agriculture as the sector with the greatest potential.

Recognising the limitations of satellite imagery alone, particularly in resolution and update frequency, the founders integrated autonomous drones into the platform to provide more detailed field data.

Designed as a modular system, LIVIA can continuously incorporate new data sources and capabilities. Its initial focus is irrigation management, early disease detection and plant health monitoring, with vineyards serving as the first use case because of their importance to Cyprus and the team’s own experience.

Turning Data Into Decisions

Satellite imagery provides continuous monitoring of crops, while autonomous drones capture high-resolution images whenever greater precision is needed.

Artificial intelligence then combines those datasets with information collected by growers, including IoT sensors and field observations, to generate tailored recommendations for irrigation, disease prevention and resource management.

By analysing each plant individually, the platform enables precision agriculture rather than field-wide recommendations.

Building A Hardware And Software Startup

Developing LIVIA has required balancing advanced software with specialised hardware, including drones, multispectral cameras and charging stations, all while operating with limited resources.

Although the startup participates in the Bank of Cyprus IDEA programme and has secured non-equity funding, integrating multiple data sources into a reliable AI system remains its biggest technical challenge.

The Role Of Junior Achievement

Participation in the JA StartUp Programme helped transform the original concept into a business proposition through mentoring, coaching and pitch preparation.

Support continued after LIVIA won the national competition, with the Junior Achievement Cyprus team helping the founders prepare for the European final in Latvia.

European Recognition

Winning GEN-E 2026 and the FedEx Access Award marked the team’s biggest milestone to date and created new opportunities to connect with investors, entrepreneurs and industry experts across Europe.

The founders are now focused on completing their minimum viable product, launching pilot projects in Cyprus and expanding the platform to new crops and international markets.

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