Yoon: "Not Farm but Factory"... Korean Smart Agriculture Opens Path to Qatar Entry

First Schedule of Qatar State Visit, Attendance at International Horticultural Expo
Yoon Mentions Neom City, Urges Preparation for Demand of Korean Agricultural Technology
Encouragement for Smart Farm Companies and Young Entrepreneurs Entering Middle East Market

"It is no longer a farm, but a factory."

During his state visit to Qatar on the 24th (local time), President Yoon Suk-yeol met with companies pioneering the smart farm market in the Middle East region and urged them to actively pursue exports. In particular, after confirming the technological capabilities of domestic companies demonstrating their strengths in the global smart farm market, President Yoon emphasized the significance of expanding from simple agriculture to smart agriculture.

President Yoon Suk-yeol, on a state visit to Qatar, visited the opening ceremony of the Korea Pavilion at the Doha International Horticultural Expo held at Al Bida Park in Doha on the 24th (local time). He is observing Nongshim's smart farm vertical farm at the Korean-style smart agriculture exhibition hall.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

On the first day of his visit to Qatar, President Yoon attended the opening ceremony of the Korea Pavilion at the Doha International Horticultural Expo. The Doha International Horticultural Expo is a large-scale horticultural event held for the first time in a desert climate region, with over 80 countries participating, including the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, and Japan, under the theme "Green Desert, Better Environment."

Korea established its pavilion featuring an outdoor garden reflecting Korean characteristics and a smart agriculture exhibition hall to promote Korea’s smart agriculture technology. At this event, President Yoon toured the Korean-style outdoor garden, which included a pavilion and sculptures representing Korea’s mountains and rivers, then visited the smart agriculture exhibition hall to encourage smart agriculture export companies aiming to enter the Middle Eastern market, urging them to "actively pursue smart farm exports."

In particular, President Yoon inspected the remote control technology for vertical farms at the Korea Pavilion and showed interest by saying, "Desert countries like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE find it difficult to cultivate vegetables and agricultural products," adding, "So they probably use a lot of greenhouses, but how much more efficient is it to use vertical farms compared to regular greenhouses?" He then noted, "It is no longer a farm, but a factory," highlighting the expanding role of smart agriculture in the economic sector.

He also urged efforts to incorporate Korean agricultural technology into Saudi Arabia’s Neom City project. Referring to Neom City, President Yoon said, "The city itself is a vertical city, and it also has vertical farms," adding, "When Neom City is built, they plan to create a large block for urban agriculture, so there will be a great need for vertical farms."

The Presidential Office evaluated the Doha International Horticultural Expo as an opportunity to promote Korea’s smart agriculture technology worldwide, including the Middle East, thereby expanding opportunities for smart farm exports. Chief Secretary for Economic Affairs Choi Sang-mok stated, "Smart farms and smart agricultural technologies not only improve the structure of our agriculture through increased productivity and labor savings but are also promising new export industries," adding, "As of August this year, our smart farm exports and orders have reached $240 million, showing rapid growth of more than three times compared to the same period last year, demonstrating high export potential."

Moreover, the Presidential Office emphasized that Middle Eastern countries, aiming to overcome harsh agricultural production conditions caused by desert climates through smart agriculture and strengthen food security, have designated Korea as a "key partner for smart farm cooperation." According to the Presidential Office, among the 24 smart farm cooperation MOUs signed with foreign companies this year, the Middle East accounts for 63% in terms of the number of contracts and 75% in terms of contract value, representing an overwhelming share.

Chief Secretary Choi said, "Nongshim, which showcased remote control technology for vertical farms at the Korea Pavilion at today’s Doha International Horticultural Expo, will participate in a vertical farm project within the Qatar Industrial Complex, opening the way for Korean smart agriculture’s entry into Qatar," adding, "At the government level of both countries, the smart farm cooperation MOU will be revised during this state visit to systematically promote specific cooperative projects such as the establishment of a smart farm technology complex."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.