Acheleia is one of the villages that benefited by the irrigation project of Pafos, the “Asprokremmos” dam. Agriculture is relatively developed in the village since the required manpower for agriculture is not present. Stockbreeding is existent but not to a great degree. During older times stockbreeding was at a better level. As the years go by and since the necessary interest is not there, growth seems to be relatively reduced.

An irrigation channel

An irrigation tank

However, there is in Acheleia a large tract of land, 3 thousand “stremmata” (plural, I “stremma” = about a ? of an acre), which belongs to the State. In about half of it the State has created the facilities of the so-called Government Farm, serving the needs of the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Specifically, these facilities are located alongside the main Pafos – Limassol road. The rest of the land is leased to locals or to people from the surrounding villages, these persons making use of the land by planting various trees, agricultural crops, the cultivation of vegetables, vines, citrus fruits, peanuts, plants for stockbreeding purposes, potatoes, olives, deciduous trees, and more. At this point it is worth mentioning that the land occupied by the Pafos Airport was taken out of these 1500 “stremmata” of state-owned land

An olive tree loaded with olives	An olive tree loaded with olives
Vineyards’ cultivation

A large piece of land was withheld for the needs of the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, including:
A Research Station of the Agricultural Research Institute
A Stockbreeding Farm, which is a very large farm used for animal reproduction purposes and for the import of animals from abroad, being able to supply all of Cyprus.
Vegetable Gardening Units, where fruits and vegetables are grown for the purpose of promoting them in the Cypriot market and also for exports.
The Acheleia Farm, which essentially is a group of seedbeds where various trees are planted so as to supply the whole of Cyprus.
Almond Groves, citrus-fruits’ Gardens, vineyards with winemaking and table varieties, walnut trees, olive trees, clover, deciduous trees, loquats, and a non-cultivated region for future needs.

Walnut trees

Besides, a tract of about 250 “skales” (plural, 1 “skala” = 14400 sq. ft.) is used by the Department of Agriculture and the Agricultural Research Institute for seed production of some basic plants used in stockbreeding, for the experimental cultivation of new types of plants and a variety of large-scale cultivation of plants, as well as new varieties of stockbreeding plants and conducting experiments by the Agricultural Research Institute upon matters that concern large-scale cultivation plants.
Given its financial strength, its growth with regards to basic projects, its fertile ground with the ample water of the river of Ezousa, one would expect that Acheleia would be one of the largest villages of Pafos and yet it is one of the district’s smallest villages.

Trees loaded with golden quinces

As a consequence of the fact that 90% of the land is state-owned, the privately owned land -not being included in residential or tourist zones -cannot be developed, this resulting in minimal development of the village.

The only industrial activity in Acheleia is the making of gravel along the bed of the river of Ezousa.