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Cyprus Ranks Last In EU For Precision Agriculture Adoption

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.

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.

Bank of Cyprus And Wealthyhood Open Access To Cypriot And Greek Stocks

Bank of Cyprus has endorsed a significant expansion in digital investing, as Wealthyhood x BoC launches trading in Cypriot and Greek stocks for retail investors across Cyprus, Greece and Europe.

A Wider Gateway To Local Equities

Through a single mobile application, users can now invest in companies listed on the Cyprus Stock Exchange and Euronext Athens, with access starting from as little as €1. The platform says it is offering some of the lowest fees in the market, while making blue-chip Cypriot and Greek companies more accessible to everyday investors.

The move is designed to lower a long-standing barrier to participation in local capital markets. Historically, retail investors have faced high minimum ticket sizes, complex trading interfaces and substantial brokerage, clearing and exchange fees. Wealthyhood x BoC says it is addressing those constraints through fractional investing and market-leading trade execution.

A Strategic Partnership Moves Forward

The launch marks another step in the growing partnership between the Bank of Cyprus and Wealthyhood, with the local lender integrating access to both the Cyprus Stock Exchange and the Athens market into the investment platform.

For the Bank of Cyprus, the expansion is part of a broader push to improve digital investment access for clients and to widen the range of instruments available through modern wealth-management channels. The platform is positioned not only as a convenience tool, but as an on-ramp to investing for a younger and more digitally native audience.

Lowering The Cost Of Market Access

Wealthyhood co-founder and chief executive Alexandros Christodoulakis said the launch is intended to remove what he described as artificial barriers between ordinary investors and the domestic economy.

“For too long, investing in leading Cypriot and Greek companies has felt unnecessarily expensive and beyond the reach of a younger generation of investors,” Christodoulakis said. “High minimum investment limits and burdensome exchange fees created an artificial barrier between everyday people and our domestic economy.”

He said the new offering “democratises investing” by bringing the Cyprus Stock Exchange and Euronext Athens onto the platform on equal terms. According to Christodoulakis, fractional shares from €1 and the absorption of stock exchange fees through Smart Execution are designed to make local market investing simpler, cheaper and more intuitive.

“Our users have been asking for it, and we were determined to deliver,” he added.

Designed For Broader Portfolio Building

Wealthyhood co-founder and chief technology officer Konstantinos Faliagkas said the new feature expands portfolio construction options for users in Greece and Cyprus.

“We are very excited that, through the Wealthyhood x BoC app, users can now add Cypriot and Greek stocks to their portfolios with the lowest fees in the market and the option of fractional investing,” Faliagkas said.

The platform also offers curated investment collections focused on Cypriot and Greek companies, alongside thematic portfolios spanning areas such as high-dividend equities, artificial intelligence and biotechnology. The company says this helps investors identify opportunities more easily while building diversified portfolios aligned with their interests and risk preferences.

Bank Of Cyprus Sees A Meaningful Step Forward

Christos M. Ioannou, head of Private & Affluent Banking at the Bank of Cyprus, described the launch as an important milestone in the collaboration between the two organisations.

“The launch of trading in Greek and Cypriot equities through the Wealthyhood x BoC platform, with the addition of the Athens Exchange and Cyprus Stock Exchange markets, marks a vital expansion in the strategic partnership between the Bank of Cyprus and Wealthyhood,” Ioannou said.

He added that the bank expects strong interest from clients seeking broader access to major exchanges through a digital investment platform.

“We are confident that the Bank’s clients, as well as any client, will welcome this innovative offering, which provides access to the Athens Exchange and Cyprus Stock Exchange, among other major exchanges, through a digital investment platform, further expanding their investment choices,” he said.

Technology, Transparency And Scale

The platform says investors in Greece and Cyprus can now buy fractional holdings in local shares from €1, eliminating the need to commit hundreds of euros to purchase higher-priced stocks.

It also highlights its Smart Execution feature, which processes orders at 3:00 p.m. every weekday and absorbs 100 per cent of the underlying stock exchange costs. Wealthyhood x BoC says this allows users to eliminate stock exchange clearing fees while benefiting from a more transparent pricing structure.

In addition to local shares, users can access more than 5,000 stocks and exchange-traded funds, supported by automated investment tools, financial education and institutional-grade security. Wealthyhood describes the application as a wealth-building platform aimed at helping younger investors learn, save, invest and build wealth regardless of experience or starting capital.

Early Traction In Greece And Cyprus

Operating across the United Kingdom and Europe, Wealthyhood says the platform has already attracted more than 30,000 users in Greece and Cyprus within months of launch. That early traction suggests demand for low-cost, mobile-first investing is extending well beyond the largest international markets.

For Bank of Cyprus, the partnership offers a way to deepen customer engagement through digital wealth services. For Wealthyhood, it provides credibility and distribution in two markets where retail participation has traditionally lagged behind demand.

As local investors increasingly seek simpler, cheaper and more flexible access to markets, the Wealthyhood x BoC model may prove to be more than a product launch. It could be a sign of how regional investing habits are beginning to change.

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