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Cyprus Strengthens Maritime Ties With Oman And Qatar

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

Cyprus is expanding its global maritime footprint as Shipping Deputy Minister Marina Hadjimanolis embarks on an official visit to Oman and Qatar for high-level discussions on maritime cooperation and industry growth.

Hadjimanolis will first travel to the Sultanate of Oman on Saturday at the invitation of Saeed bin Hamoud bin Saeed al Maawali, Oman’s Minister of Transport, Communications, and Information Technology. During her visit, she will engage in bilateral meetings with senior government officials and representatives from Asyad, Oman’s state-owned shipping company.

A key milestone of the visit will be the signing of two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) between Cyprus and Oman, aimed at strengthening maritime transport collaboration.

Following her engagements in Oman, Hadjimanolis will head to Qatar, where she will attend the Seatrade Maritime Qatar Exhibition & Conference 2025 at the invitation of Qatar’s Minister of Transport, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulla bin Mohammed Al Thani. In Doha, she will hold bilateral discussions with Qatari officials and participate in industry meetings to further promote Cyprus’ position as a global shipping hub.

These diplomatic efforts underscore Cyprus’ commitment to enhancing maritime cooperation in the Gulf region, reinforcing its status as a leading player in global shipping.

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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