3rd CIBUS Interregional Meeting, in Nicosia

The CIBUS - Cutting food loss and waste in Europe Interregional Meeting on Nicosia was organised in hybrid format, by The Nicosia Development Agency (ANEL), during 4th - 5th June 2025.

The first day began with the welcoming of participants by Dr. Eleftherios Loizou - ANEL, followed by a series of workshops and a panel discussion addressing key issues around food waste monitoring and innovation in Cyprus.

Workshop 1 focused on the presentation of good practices from each participant’s country, viewed through a gender and social lens.

Directly after, Workshop 2 was held, which included a presentation on regional analysis and the main results of the GAP analysis and the capacity and skill needs analysis, related to the Preparatory Module submitted at the beginning of the project. 

Workshop 3, "Imagine the Solution – Matchmaking" was shortened due to time constraints. Dr. Eleftherios Loizou delivered a brief overview of what the session was intended to include.

The panel discussion that followed brought together government officials and experts: 

• Mrs. Natalia Georgiou, Environmental Officer at the Department of Environment, Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment. 
• Mrs. Elena Andreou, Environmental Specialist from Kykloikodromio.
• Mr. Filippos Georgiades, Environmental & Public Health Officer. 

The discussion focused on EU policy frameworks and national obligations on food waste, the status of Cyprus’s national strategy and public engagement, legal and operational aspects of food donation, and the role of municipalities and businesses in food waste monitoring.

The panellists also addressed opportunities for innovation, collaboration, and new business models in the circular economy. A key theme was that Cyprus currently lacks a clear direction on food waste management. However, with the upcoming implementation of the "Pay-As-You-Throw" system, a general reduction in waste sent to landfills is expected.

In the afternoon, the Steering Committee Meeting was held, with the participation of project partners in person and online.

The second day of the event continued with focused presentations and discussions on food waste reduction, donation practices, circular economy initiatives, and digital innovation in the sector.

Mr. Georgios Kortas from the Department of Environment provided an overview of the EU Platform on Food Losses and Food Waste. Next, Mrs. Natalia Georgiou, also from the Department of Environment, presented the national policy on food waste reduction, outlining the current legal framework and the future direction for Cyprus.

Following this, Mrs. Maria Dionysiou, from the same department, introduced the food waste prevention actions undertaken within the LIFE Integrated Project “Zero Waste Cyprus”, highlighting awareness campaigns and pilot initiatives.

Mrs. Sara Mariza Vryonidi, Project Manager at Friends of the Earth, then shared insights into food donation practices in both Cyprus and abroad, identifying gaps, barriers, and opportunities to scale up food redistribution efforts.

 “Save Our Food”, a local initiative introduced by Dr. Stavros Parlalis, aims to minimizing food waste through donations to vulnerable individuals.

Mr. Andreas Agrotis, CEO of Amalthia Trading Nicosia Ltd, presented “Circular Economy: The Case of Quasimodo Ugly Fruit & Veggies”, demonstrating how the company utilizes surplus and non-standard produce to promote sustainable consumption.

The final presentation was delivered by Mr. Panayiotis Philippou, CEO of FoodFlow, who spoke about digital innovation in food supply chains, explaining how their platform helps reduce food waste by improving logistics and tracking.