Drought alert in the country

Prof. Dr. Mustafa Erayman, the Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technologies of Cyprus International University (CIU) said that, except for Girne, Dipkarpaz and the south of Gazimağusa, other parts of the country are faced with a risk of severe drought ranging between 50% and 90%, adding, “In case of lack of additional irrigation opportunities inland, where more arable farming is carried out, the yield of wheat, barley and legumes will decrease by 30%.”

As a short-term solution, Erayman suggested that farmers who have agricultural insurance should meet with insurance agencies to determine the severity of the situation and noted that this is important in terms of minimizing the damage.

Erayman advises the farmers who do not have insurance to contact an expert if the severity of the drought has slowed down the plant growth or if the diseases and pests have spread to the crops. If the harvest is not able to cover the cost, it should be planted without wasting time in the field with a different crop suitable for the land, or it should be used as green manure by plowing the field during the period when plants grow spikes and bloom.

Erayman stated that it is important to take some pioneering measures in areas with a high drought risk. “Especially in sandy and loose soils, water can be prevented from penetrating deep by laying waterproof material (plastic, water-retaining gel, etc.) under the ground with sub-soil water retention technologies. Underground drip irrigation or infiltration irrigation systems will save more than 50% of the irrigation water.”

Erayman also stated that educating and supporting small farmers on rain harvesting systems would be beneficial in terms of diversifying the agriculture of the region and said, "In the medium term, farmers can increase the water holding capacity of the soil by increasing the organic matter content with animal manure, green manure or waste sludge."

Reminding that there are 13 different aquifers with a total size of approximately 750 sq.km. in Northern Cyprus, Erayman said, “The sum of those in the Güzelyurt, Mesarya and Lefkoşa regions, where field cultivation is common, is approximately 400 sq.km. Constructing facilities to recharge these aquifers will greatly reduce the risk of water deficiency and drought.”