COUNTRY
PROFILE - CYPRUS
Geography and population
Cyprus
is the largest island in the Eastern Mediterranean with an area of 9 250
km². The main features of the island’s topography include two
mountain ranges, the Kyrenia in the north, which rises to 1 024 metres,
and the Troodos in the centre, rising to 1 951 metres. Between these two
main mountain ranges lies a wide plain, the Mesaoria plain, which rises
from sea level to about 325 metres. Between the two mountain ranges and
the sea there are narrow fertile coastal plains. The area of the country
is about 5 807 km². It has a maximum length of 240 kms. from East
to West and a maximum width of 100 kms. from North to South.
The
total population for the whole island is 742 000 according to United Nations
estimates (1995), of which 46% is rural. According to the National Demographic
Report of 1994, the total population in the government-controlled areas
amounted to 638 300 (as against 734 000 for the whole island), of which
32% was rural. The annual population growth is 1%. Agriculture, including
crop production, livestock, fisheries and forestry accounted for 5.4 %
of the GDP in 1994, down from 10% in 1980.
The
climate of Cyprus is typical of the Eastern Mediterranean, with mild winters
and hot, dry summers. Average daily minimum temperature is 9°C in
January, while the average daily maximum is 35°C in August. The mean
annual precipitation for the whole island is 503 mm, ranging from 290
mm in the east to 1190 mm in the Troodos mountains. Most of the rain falls
in the winter months from December to February, with snow falling frequently
in the Troodos mountains. Hail storms are common and often cause considerable
crop damage. There are large variations in rainfall from year to year.
The
cultivable area is estimated at 165 433 ha, which is 28% of the total
area under government control. In 1994, cultivated land amounted to 111
649 ha, of which 69 509 ha consisted of annual crops and 42 140 ha consisted
of permanent crops. Most land is private. There are 51 300 farm holdings
and according to the 1994 Census of Agriculture, the average holding size
is 3.5 ha divided into 4.5 parcels of land.
Water
resources
A
water balance cannot be easily calculated for the government-controlled
area of Cyprus. A water balance for the whole island, however, indicates
900 million m³/year of renewable water resources. Surface runoff
is estimated to represent about 830 million m³/year. The natural
aquifer recharge is estimated at 300 million m³, of which about 70
million m³ flows to the sea and 100 million m³ emerges from
springs.
There
are 14 main rivers, none of which provides perennial flow. The source
of water for these rivers originates in the Troodos mountains. The main
groundwater aquifers are the Western Mesaoria (Morphou), Kokkinochoria
(South-eastern and Eastern Mesaoria) and the Akrotiri. Smaller aquifers
exist in other parts of the country.
Dams
In
1995, the total dam storage capacity reached 299 million m³ on the
whole island, up from 6 million m³ in 1961 and 64 million m³
in 1974.
Currently
some 40 million m³ of wastewater are produced annually on the whole
island.
Water
withdrawal
In
1993, total water withdrawal in the government-controlled area was 211
million m³ of which 74% was for agricultural purposes, including
both irrigation (70.6%) and livestock (3.3%). Water withdrawal for domestic
and industrial use in 1993 was 23.7% and 2.4% respectively. The trend
in recent years, which is likely to continue in the future, is that increasing
quantities of water will be used for domestic water supplies at the expense
of agriculture.
Considering
the whole island, 70 million m³ of groundwater flows to the sea yearly
and 270 million m³ is either pumped out or emerges from springs,
leading to a total extraction from the aquifers of 340 million m³/year.
As the annual recharge has been estimated at 300 million m³, there
could be up to 40 million m³/year of excess pumping over natural
recharge. As a result, the total area of Cyprus is experiencing a gradual
decline in groundwater yield, a lowering of the water table and, in certain
cases, sea water intrusion.
Irrigation
and drainage development
In
1994, the water managed area was estimated at 39 938 ha in the government
controlled area, of which 39 545 ha were equipped for full or partial
control irrigation. Less than 1 % consisted of spate irrigation. In 1994
only 32 864 ha, or only 82% of the water managed area, were irrigated
because of water shortages.
Spring
water and groundwater were the first target of water resources development.
Traditionally this water was cheap and easy to develop by individual farmers
or farmers’ Irrigation Divisions or Associations. In both cases a
government permit is required prior to initiation of any water work. Normally
these schemes are small and they cover 1 to 3 ha, although larger schemes
have also been developed in recent years.
All
public schemes are operated by the Water Development Department (WDD)
of the Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment and
the farmers are charged for the water on a volumetric basis. This is possible
through the use of water meters which are monitored regularly by the WDD.
Irrigation Divisions or Associations usually operate and maintain their
own schemes and charge the users either on a volumetric or an hourly basis.
The
irrigation network in Cyprus is highly efficient. It generally consists
of closed systems with an overall conveyance efficiency averaging 90-95
%. Field application efficiency averages 80-90%. In parallel with the
government’s efforts to increase the water available for agriculture,
emphasis was placed on the optimum utilization of water through improved
irrigation methods. To encourage farmers to use improved irrigation methods
the government offered incentives to participating farmers in the form
of subsidies and long-term low interest loans for the purchase and installation
of improved irrigation systems. As a result of these efforts, the area
irrigated by surface irrigation methods has declined from about 13 400
ha in 1974 to less than 2 000 in 1995 while the area equipped for micro-irrigation
has increased over the same period from about 2 700 ha to almost 35 600
ha.
In 1994, 21 746 ha consisted of large schemes (> 500 ha), 2 091 ha
of medium schemes and 15 708 ha of small schemes (<100 ha).
The
major irrigated crops are fruit trees and potatoes. For most crops the
cost of irrigation water varies from about $US 90 to 270/year per ha.
Public schemes currently charge the consumer $US 0.03/m³, whereas
the Irrigation Divisions usually charge their members the full operating
costs in addition to a basic charge for repayment of loans (when applicable).
These
costs are high and discourage the farmers from using irrigation for low
value crops such as cereals, pulses, olives, almonds, carrots etc. The
above-mentioned cost amounts, for example, to about 23 % of variable costs
and 17% of total production costs for oranges or 17% and 11 % respectively
for spring potatoes. These two crops are the major export crops of Cyprus
and cover an area of about 2200 and 4600 ha/year respectively. When irrigation
is used for other crops, for example wheat or barley, the yields also
substantially increase. While the national average yields of rainfed wheat
and barley were 0.55 and 0.92 tons/ha respectively in 1994, irrigated
crop yields were 4 and 3 tons/ha respectively. Although irrigated crops
cover only about 30% of the cultivated land, they account for 60-70% of
the production earnings.
Institutional
environment
The
Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment is responsible,
through a number of departments, for water resources assessment and development.
The Water Development Department (WDD) assesses the surface water resources
(groundwater resources are assessed by the Geological Survey Department),
plans the water development projects, develops the engineering studies
(including civil works needed) and operates and maintains these projects.
Project construction is usually subcontracted to the private sector, following
bids. The WDD also has the responsibility of recommending plans to government
for the allocation of water resources as well as water rates. For irrigation
purposes the water rates cannot legally exceed 40% (65% in exceptional
cases) of the average total cost of water provision, including capital
expenditure as well as operation and maintenance expenditures (for domestic
and industrial water supply the full costs are recovered).
The
main laws concerned with irrigation date back to before to independence
in 1961, and include the Government Water Works Law (Cap 341 of 1928)
which provides for the control of water and the construction of water
works by the government; the Wells Law (Cap 351 of 1946) which covers
the installation of wells and their related water rights, and the Irrigation
Divisions (Cap 342 of 1938) which regulates the formation of Irrigation
Divisions and their operation. The Laws, in general, function effectively
and, in the case of the Water Laws, cover all aspects of water development
as well as interactions between government and users. All land in Cyprus
is registered and owners have deeds or certificates of ownership.
Trends
in water resources management
There
is no accurate estimate of the quantity of water extracted in excess of
natural recharge, but it could be as high as 40 million m³/year.
Even so, in years of drought or below average rainfall, it is necessary
to divert water from agriculture to the domestic and industrial sector.
In such cases it is necessary to restrict the amount of water made available
for both annual and perennial crops. For instance, in the 1989-90 and
1990-91 seasons, annual crops were limited on average to 70% of the normally
irrigated land, whereas perennial crops received only 80% of normal supply.
A similar situation occured in 1993.
Waterlogging,
soil salinization, and vector-borne diseases are not present in Cyprus.
Contamination of groundwater, especially with fertilizers (particularly
nitrates) in certain areas of the island where agriculture is intensively
practiced, is however occurring and is a cause of concern. There is also
the problem of seawater intrusion in the main coastal aquifers. This situation
overall requires close monitoring.
Cyprus
and ICID
Cyprus
joined ICID in 1955, and has been actively associated with ICID activities
at national as well as international level. Cyprus National Committee
(CYCID) is represented in one ICID Regional Working Group, i.e. European
Regional Working Group (ERWG). At present, Mr. Michael Televantos
Mice is the
Secretary and Mr. Sofoclis Aletraris is the Chairman of CYCID. | 
