Tarek El-Azab
Commercial Unit Leader
Middle East & North Africa
Corteva Agriscience
In a region where farming is a battle against drought, heat, and scarcity, innovation has become the only path to survival. From gene editing to biologicals and AI-driven agriculture, technology is redefining how the Middle East and North Africa grow food—and how the milling industry secures its future.
The Middle East and North Africa region is one of the most complex agricultural landscapes in the world. With less than five percent of land classified as arable and water scarcity among the most severe globally, farming here is a constant battle against nature. Add to this the accelerating impacts of climate change—prolonged droughts, erratic rainfall, and rising temperatures—and the challenge becomes existential. The region imports nearly eighty-five percent of its food, making it highly vulnerable to global supply chain disruptions. For those in the milling and grain industries, this vulnerability is not a distant problem; it influences global trade flows, price volatility, and the reliability of raw material supply. Understanding how technology and innovation are reshaping agriculture in MENA is essential for anyone invested in the future of food systems.
Agriculture today is no longer about incremental improvements. It is about transformative breakthroughs that redefine resilience and sustainability. Gene editing is one of the most powerful tools driving this transformation. Unlike traditional breeding, which can take decades to deliver results, gene editing allows scientists to make precise modifications to plant genomes, introducing traits such as drought tolerance, salinity resistance, and pest resilience in a fraction of the time. For MENA, where water scarcity and soil degradation are chronic issues, these traits are not optional—they are survival mechanisms. For millers and processors, the implications are profound. Crops engineered for resilience mean more predictable supply chains, better grain quality, and reduced variability in protein and moisture content, which directly affects milling efficiency and flour consistency.
Biologicals represent another frontier in sustainable agriculture. These natural solutions, including microbial inoculants and biostimulants, improve soil health and help crops withstand stress without leaving chemical residues. In regions like MENA, where saline soils and heat stress are major constraints, biologicals can restore productivity while reducing reliance on synthetic inputs. This shift aligns with global sustainability standards and consumer demand for traceable, environmentally responsible products. For millers and processors, sourcing grain grown under such practices enhances ESG credentials and meets rising expectations for transparency in food systems. Biologicals also contribute to long-term soil regeneration, which is critical for maintaining productivity in fragile ecosystems.
Digital agriculture and artificial intelligence are redefining how farmers make decisions. Predictive analytics can forecast pest outbreaks, optimize irrigation schedules, and model yield scenarios with remarkable precision. In water-scarce environments, AI-guided irrigation can cut water use by up to forty percent while maintaining or even improving yields. These efficiencies ripple through the supply chain, lowering production costs and stabilizing grain availability. For industries dependent on consistent raw material flows, this means fewer disruptions and better planning accuracy. Digital platforms also enable real-time monitoring of crop health, nutrient levels, and weather conditions, allowing farmers to respond proactively rather than reactively. This level of precision farming is essential for regions where every drop of water and every hectare of land counts.
Corteva Agriscience is among the companies driving these innovations globally and in MENA. Its investment of nearly four million dollars daily in research and development fuels projects in gene editing, biologicals, and digital agronomy. Technologies such as Arylex, which addresses herbicide resistance and enables single-pass weed control, and Zorvec, which provides long-lasting disease protection, have already improved productivity in cereals, potatoes, and grapes. These interventions matter because they protect yields against climate-driven disease pressures, ensuring continuity in supply chains.
Beyond products, Corteva collaborates with governments and research institutions to shape adaptive regulatory frameworks that accelerate the adoption of new breeding techniques. This regulatory agility is essential for deploying climate-smart crops at scale, reducing reliance on imports, and strengthening regional food systems.
The urgency of these efforts cannot be overstated. The global population is projected to reach nearly ten billion by 2050, requiring a fifty percent increase in food production. In regions like MENA, where natural resources are constrained, technology is not optional—it is the only viable path forward. Innovations in crop genetics, biologicals, and digital farming will determine whether agriculture can meet this demand sustainably. For the milling industry, these advances promise greater supply stability, improved grain quality, and alignment with sustainability goals—critical factors in an era of heightened consumer scrutiny and regulatory compliance.
Consider the case of Tunisia in 2024, when an unusually wet season triggered severe outbreaks of downy mildew in potatoes and grapes. Advanced fungicides provided sustained disease control, preserving yields and stabilizing local food supply chains. Without such interventions, the impact would have cascaded through regional markets, affecting availability and prices for processors and consumers alike. This example underscores how localized innovation can prevent systemic shocks that would otherwise disrupt global grain flows.
Understanding these developments is not just academic. They inform procurement strategies, risk management, and investment decisions across the grain value chain. As MENA accelerates adoption of climate-smart solutions, global markets will feel the impact in terms of price stability, sourcing opportunities, and sustainability credentials. For millers and processors, staying ahead of these trends means building resilience into their operations—whether through diversified sourcing, partnerships with technology providers, or investments in traceable supply chains. In a world where every hectare and harvest counts, technology and innovation are not simply tools—they are the foundation of food security for generations to come.