The year is 2029, and vertical farming has become a symbol of national resilience in the Middle East. Governments have poured billions into hydroponic megafarms. Food security indices have climbed and export deals rolled in.
The region has also been hailed globally as a pioneer of agricultural innovation – a place where technology had triumphed over land scarcity and climate stress. And then it all collapses.
A fungal microbe, exploiting the genetic uniformity of hydroponic crops, mutated in a single facility, sweeps through the region's interconnected systems. Within six weeks, 40 percent of regional crop output is lost. Emergency imports are then scrambled at record costs. What seemed like a shining example of resilience is exposed as dangerously brittle.
The risk was known. The signals were there – just not heard, or not heeded. This isn't a possible "future" story about agriculture. It spotlights leadership under complexity. From pandemic blindspots to supply chain fragilities and climate volatility to AI backlash, organisations across every sector continue to be surprised by visible and often documented disruptions that were ultimately sidelined.
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