The council of ministers on Tuesday approved the allocation of an additional 3.5 million cubic metres of water for irrigation, with 2 million cubic metres allocated for the wider Paphos region and an additional 1.5 million cubic metres for the southern conveyor project.

The agriculture ministry said the revision of the distribution of water reserves by region was based on updated hydrological data, following an assessment of actual water supply and irrigation needs in the respective regions.

According to the ministry, the total water quantities for 2026 were set at 121.7m cubic metres for general water supply and an additional 41.2m cubic metres for irrigation.

The decision is part of the new strategic management framework to address water scarcity for the next three years, set to ensure water safety and reserves.

In its overall effort to ensure water safety, the government has proceeded with several measures including the installation of desalination units, measures to reduce water losses in the networks, as well as the utilisation of reclaimed water, all of which are aimed at covering the needs of both residents and the agricultural sector, the ministry said.