“The project clearly demonstrates how research and innovation can provide answers to real challenges of the primary sector,” stated the Minister of Agriculture, Maria Panayiotou, while inaugurating the infrastructure of the "Phenotypos" project at the Agricultural Research Institute.

The "Phenotypos" project involves leading academic and research institutions in Cyprus: the University of Cyprus, the Cyprus University of Technology, and Frederick Research Center. These institutions collaborate with the Agricultural Research Institute and three innovative companies in their respective fields of activity: CYRIC, Alion, and Atlantis.

The Minister visited and inaugurated the strategic infrastructure located in Tochni on 19 December 2025. Among those attending the inauguration were the Director of the Research and Interconnection Office of Frederick University, Mr. Alexis Onoufriou, the lead researcher of the Computational Intelligence Research Lab (COIN), Dr Harry Papadopoulos, and the Director of the Mobile Devices Laboratory (MDL), Dr. Andreas Constantinides.

The "Phenotypos" project constitutes a benchmark for agricultural research and innovation and an open knowledge platform that integrates innovative and smart technologies, such as sensors and cameras, real-time data transmission networks, online access, data visualization and analysis, utilizing machine learning models to generate knowledge on plant species.

“The clear objective is to transform scientific knowledge into practical and applicable solutions for people working in agriculture, and this transition from knowledge to application takes on particular importance in today’s environment of increased challenges for agriculture,” the Minister stated.

Ms. Panayiotou further emphasized that the project is an important tool for adapting Cypriot agriculture to climate change and for promoting data-driven smart agriculture based on knowledge and technology. She added that the project is expected to contribute to the production of essential knowledge for the implementation of policy initiatives of the Ministry, while at the same time serving as a training and education tool for farmers.

The Director of the Agricultural Research Institute, Marios Kyriakou, in his own address noted that both the conception of the project and the drafting of the relevant proposal were decisively shaped by the ARI research team involved in the initiative. He explained that the process of plant phenotyping is of great value, as it enables the production and processing of large volumes of data collected in real time, through non-destructive methods from a large number of treatments, allowing for an in-depth understanding of plant responses to environmental or cultivation factors.

“The creation of such a strategic infrastructure in Cyprus will allow for the effective evaluation of varieties or genotypes of cultivated species adapted to local environmental conditions, will support the work of genetic improvement and selection of varieties or genotypes, the evaluation of agrochemical growth-promoting factors, will accelerate research and development in the fields of plant and environmental science, and will serve as a platform for the development of smart agricultural technology,” Mr. Kyriakou stated.

He also noted that the project will serve as a hub for research collaborations between domestic research and business organizations, as well as for inclusion in European research networks.

Within the framework of the project, Frederick Research Center (FRC) is developing software and technological tools for the effective evaluation of plants. Their implementation has been undertaken by two FRC research teams: the Mobile Devices Laboratory (MDL), coordinated by Dr. Andreas Constantinides, and the Computational Intelligence Research Lab (COIN), headed by Dr. Harry Papadopoulos.