Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA), Chung Hwang-keun, has dispatched the third Shuttle Economic Cooperation Team, to Saudi Arabia on to explore collaborative opportunities in the field of smart farming and K-Food with the Middle East. During this visit, Vice Minister Han Hoon will proactively support the expansion of Korean smart farming and food export companies into the Middle East and strengthen government-level cooperation in the field of smart agriculture through high-level meetings.
The government has dispatched Shuttle Economic Cooperation Teams to specific regions to solidify the outcomes of summit diplomacy and identify new collaborative tasks in various sectors. The first and second Shuttle Economic Cooperation Teams were dispatched to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) under the leadership of the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy and the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, respectively. This third Shuttle Economic Cooperation Team, led by MAFRA, is heading to Saudi Arabia.
The Ministry will embark on the exploration of export routes to the Middle East by organizing events such as the Korea-Saudi Arabia Business Forum, business-to-business consultations, and Korean agricultural and food tasting events, in collaboration with companies in the fields of smart farming, food, and facilities (plants). This initiative reflects the increasing demand for Korean-style smart farms in the Middle East, as evidenced by the signing of a business agreement worth 56 million USD during the President’s visit to the UAE in January.
Through this event, it is expected that the expansion of K-Smart Farming and K-Food into Saudi Arabia will be encouraged.
Vice Minister Han Hoon will hold discussions with Al Musaiti, Deputy Minister of the Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture, to concretize and strengthen cooperation in the field of smart agriculture between the two countries. He will then move to Qatar for a meeting with Al Subaie, Minister of Qatar’s Autonomous Administration, where they will discuss cooperation plans between the two countries, including the upcoming Doha International Horticultural Exhibition in October 2023.
Vice Minister Han Hoon stated, “Recently, the Middle East has placed a strong emphasis on enhancing food security as a major national agenda, showing great interest in Korean smart farming.” He added, “Through the dispatch of the Shuttle Economic Cooperation Team this time, I hope that Korean smart farming, agricultural, and food export companies will have a solid foundation to expand into the Middle East region.”
