Farmers in the Chrysochous Valley to take tractors onto the road on 13 September over irrigation water shortage

Farmers, orchard owners and residents of the Chrysochous Valley (Koilada Chrysochous) in Paphos District have announced a protest: on 13 September, they will take their tractors onto the Polis-Chrysochous — Paphos road to demand that the authorities urgently resolve the irrigation water problem. The gathering is scheduled for 10:30 at the petrol station on the main road.

The organisers warn that irrigation in the valley could be interrupted at any moment, affecting both agriculture and the area’s natural environment. The statement says that, despite repeated meetings and appeals to the Water Development Department, the district administration and other agencies, “no substantial and permanent solution has been found to date”.

There are three demands: to immediately guarantee the continuation of irrigation in the valley, identify specific institutional solutions for managing the irrigation system in the future, and secure state intervention with clear deadlines. The organisers describe the action as peaceful and organised, stressing that they do not intend to obstruct traffic.

Earlier, Nestor Michail, secretary of the Choli-Skoullis and Goudi — Chrysochous Valley Irrigation Committee (Choli-Skoullis, Goudi), sent a letter to the president, the agriculture minister and MPs. According to him, the irrigation network has been in service for around 70 years and still contains outdated and asbestos pipes that require emergency repairs every summer, while water losses are significant. At the same time, there are more than ten wells in the area and considerable groundwater reserves which, with scientific assessment and unified state management, could provide a permanent solution.

The committee postponed its resignation until 31 August so that irrigation would not be shut off during the summer, and stepped down after that date. “We are not looking for someone to blame for the past. We are looking for solutions,” Nestor Michail said.

As of 1 September, the Evretou Reservoir, located in the Chrysochous Valley, was 41.6% full — 10 million cubic metres out of a capacity of 24 million. A year earlier, on the same date, the figure stood at 15.4%.