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Cyprus Sees Decline in Online Learning Participation, Eurostat Report Shows

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

According to the latest Eurostat data, Cyprus has experienced a notable decline in online learning participation, with the percentage of internet users engaging in online courses or using online learning tools falling in 2024. The drop comes at a time when the EU average saw an increase in online learning engagement.

In 2024, only 11% of internet users in Cyprus reported having participated in an online course or used online learning resources in the past three months. This marked a 5 percentage point decline compared to 2023, when 16% of users engaged with such educational tools. As a result, Cyprus ranked as the second-lowest in the EU for online learning participation, ahead of Romania, which recorded just 10%.

Across the EU, the trend was more positive, with 33% of internet users engaging in online learning activities, up from 30% in 2023. Among EU member states, the highest participation rates were seen in Ireland (61%), the Netherlands (59%), and Finland (53%).

When looking at specific types of online learning, 18% of EU internet users took an online course in 2024, with the highest levels of participation seen in Ireland (36%), Finland (32%), and Spain (32%). Additionally, 29% of users accessed online learning materials, particularly in the Netherlands (53%), Ireland (52%), and Finland (46%).

In Cyprus, about 10% of internet users took an online course, and another 10% used online learning materials, reflecting the broader trend of relatively low engagement compared to other EU nations.

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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