KT exports its ‘smart farm’ tech to Sharjah

Sheikh Saeed bin Saqer bin Sultan Al Qasimi, deputy chief of the Sharjah Ruler’s Office, right, KT Chairman Hwang Chang-gyu, second from right, and other officials celebrate the opening of a smart farm in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates on Sunday. [KT]

KT is using its IT and communications technologies on a smart farm for the physically handicapped in Sharjah, the mobile operator said on Monday.

Sharjah is the third most populated city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the smart farm is the first that KT has built outside of Korea.

KT celebrated the launch of the smart farm with Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services, a state agency that supports rehabilitation, education and social welfare for disabled people.

KT and Korea’s Disabled Enterprise Business Center agreed to help train staff for the operation over the coming year to help create jobs for the those with disablities and enhance their quality of life.

“The smart farm will hope disabled people become more independent and step up agricultural productivity in the desert climate,” said KT Chairman Hwang Chang-gyu at an opening ceremony for the smart farm in Sharjah.

Agricultural productivity is relatively low in the UAE due to its climate and the country has been trying to ease its reliance on agricultural imports. Emirates Airline has spent $40 million to build the world’s largest vertical farm in Dubai.

KT’s smart farm has a cooling system that uses minimal energy and recycles water. The facilities have skid-free floors and automatic doors for workers in wheelchairs.

It has been four years since KT launched a smart farm business that puts to use various technologies. Its first smart farm for disabled people was started in 2016 in Namyangju, Gyeonggi.

KT said it hopes the smart farm in the UAE serves as a foothold for exports of its smart farm solutions.

BY SEO JI-EUN [seo.jieun@joongang.co.kr]