New Delhi, March 5 -- Prosperous Gulf monarchies are encountering their most severe food security obstacles since the 2008 international food emergency, as the Iranian war endangers maritime hubs and hampers transit through the Strait of Hormuz. This Middle East conflict is evaluating tactics implemented after 2008, when skyrocketing food costs drove Gulf states to pivot toward import-heavy frameworks centred on injecting capital into overseas agricultural ventures.

That approach replaced costly initiatives that were earlier attempted to increase local cultivation of essential grains but struggled against the territory's harsh environment and water scarcity. Saudi Arabia, for instance, started phasing out its internal wheat-farming proje...