Faced with heightened geopolitical instability and the persistent threat of maritime disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, Persian Gulf nations are moving aggressively to secure their domestic food supply chains. Now, Korea’s advanced agricultural sector is positioning itself as a key technological ally in that effort. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, alongside the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), said Thursday that AgroSolution Korea finalized a $2.6 million contract with United Arab Emirates buyer Alfafa to export a factory-style vertical smart farm. The agreement represents a major breakthrough for Korea's agricultural export ambitions in the Middle East. Under the UAE’s "National Food Security Strategy 2051," the country currently relies on imports for more than 90 percent of its food requirements. While Abu Dhabi had prioritized smart agriculture as a strategic state industry long before the latest regional unrest, commercial experts note that recent geopolitical friction has significantly accelerated the pace of localization. The newly minted