The agro-food sector in Cyprus has a high but unexploited potential. This is even more so in the Troodos Mountains, which cover the central part of the island, and is the key production area for deciduous fruits and nuts. Rural migration and the high production costs of the terraced land cause a steady decline in agricultural production in the mountains. Water is also a key limiting factor for agriculture in this semi-arid Mediterranean climate, a problem that is amplified by climate change. Thus, it is even more important for Cyprus to maintain agriculture in these cooler mountain environments. A consortium of local producers, processors, small enterprises, social organizations and researchers have joint hands with the aim to strengthen the viability and profitability of mountain agriculture.

The goal of the 3PRO-TROODOS project is to improve agricultural production and food processing in the Troodos Mountains of Cyprus, through social innovation, sustainable natural resource management and climate change adaptation. The project aims (a) to develop a voluntary Troodos quality certification label through a fully participatory process; (b) to improve processing through innovation and linkages between producers and processers; (c) to quantify current and future irrigation water demands based on high-resolution climate projections (2020-2050); (d) to develop guidelines for sustainable irrigation; (e) to test four climate resilient innovations with pilot farmer groups; (f) to analyze the cost and benefit of tested innovations and the socio-economic impacts of the quality certification label through input-output modelling.

The 3PRO-TROODOS consortium is convinced that through the integration of people, scientific and practical knowledge and experiences, they can add value to farming, make agriculture climate resilient and sustain the beautiful cultural landscapes of the Troodos Mountains in Cyprus.

Contacts:

Adriana Bruggeman     |     This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.     |     22 208 620

Elias Giannakis     |     This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.     |     +357 22 208 683

Christos Zoumides     |     This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.     |     +357 22 208 607