All Together: Meeting with the Attica Region YEB Committee

Kythera, Tuesday 03 October 2023

PRESS RELEASE

«ALL TOGETHER, KYTHERA - ANTI-KYTHERA»

MEETING WITH A DELEGATION OF THE REGIONAL DELEGATION OF THE ATHENS REGION

The Kythera visited a team of the Service of Improvement of the Region of Attica. The aim of the visit was to investigate the possibilities of creating land reclamation projects for the exploitation of surface water.

The team met in Aroniadika with the candidate Mayor Mr.. Zacharias Souris, head of the combination «ALL TOGETHER, KYTHIRA-ANTIKYTHIRA» and the candidate councillor of the same combination, geotechnical Ms.. Elena Mayirou.

The discussion explored the possibility of cooperation of the YEB in the maturation of the study of specific land reclamation projects in Kythera, in order to be included in the NSRF of 2024.

From the faction «ALL TOGETHER» were specific proposals to the YEB of Attica in order to create the background for the proposed study.

The candidate Mayor Zacharias Souris declared to the delegation of YEB Attica his support to any project that will contribute to the development of the rural economy of Kythera-Antikythera.

PROPOSAL FOR THE EXPLOITATION OF SURFACE WATERS OF THE ISLAND OF KYTHERA

In recent years, Kythera has been experiencing the effects of the climate crisis, with intense and long periods of high temperatures in spring, heat waves in summer, and heavy rainfall, leading to tons of rainwater in the sea.

Although according to the Water Management Plan of Greece, which was completed in 2021, Kythera appears green on the hydrological capacity map, i.e. with groundwater in good qualitative and quantitative condition, it is not exploited.

Apart from the mismanagement that can occur, there is difficulty in pumping in areas that are at great depths, and at the same time rainwater ends up in the sea, as there is no proper infrastructure. Furthermore, over-pumping groundwater that is not replenished alters the character of sustainability.

At the moment in Kythera there are about 12,000 cultivated acres by about 500 farmers, mainly farmers or farmers with special status. The dominant crops are olives for olive oil production, vines for wine production, and finally open-air vegetables. The vast majority of all these crops are arid and are very much affected by the weather. As a result, annual yields are very low, and in most cases the costs of cultivation are not sufficiently covered. In the case of small family farms, the damage is not obvious because of the personal labour involved. Larger farms become unprofitable to grow when they have to rely on outside labour.

At the same time in Kythera there are two irrigation wells (boreholes), one in Mylopotamos, which has a rudimentary irrigation network, and another in Kato Livadi, which has no irrigation network, but has free access for pumping for anyone who needs it.

Also in Kythera there are several catchment areas of surface rainwater, which form streams that lead the water to the sea. These basins, since ancient times, concentrate the agricultural crops and the production process of our island. These are:

• the valley of Paleopolis with its three rivers,
• the Livadi basin with exits from Katouni to Katochoria and Komponada, as well as from Lourantianika to Kalamos, ending in Kyriakoulou,
• the gully of Karavas towards Platia Ammos,
• the gully of Mylopotamos
• the basin south of the river, which ends in the gorge of Kakia Laggada

We ask:

1. Utilize these basins by building micro-dams and reservoirs to capture surface water from rainfall, so that nearby crops can be irrigated with an irrigation system.
2. The creation of TOEB (Local Organization for the Improvement of Works), as is done in the rest of Greece, to coordinate the irrigation activity.

Especially in the case of Mylopotamos, but perhaps also Karavas, these reclamation works can enhance the surface waters, which run creating waterfalls, thus protecting the natural beauty of the island.

These land reclamation projects have the potential to double the agricultural income of Kytheria, with the increase in production, which can be up to five times higher. As a result, survival will be possible on the one hand, and balanced and alternative development on the other. In addition, young people will be allowed to stay in their own country.

We are asking for these projects to be included in the NSRF, which starts in 2024 with Community funds, and to be completed as a priority.