Logistics 4.0 in the agri-food supply chain with blockchain: a case study

Abstract

Blockchain is an emerging technology with the potential to radically transform logistics in the highly complex environment of the agri-food supply chain. The key challenges of the agri-food sector include overcoming the limitations (time, cost and quality) to developing global and efficient transparency and traceability of food, eliminating expensive intermediaries, and ensuring no disruption between suppliers and retailers. This paper describes a practical approach by not only using smart contracts to integrate various stakeholders but also incorporating a Public Participation Geographic Information System platform to ensure traceability of the operations conducted in an agri-food supply chain. As a factor in improving distribution and minimising intermediaries, third-party logistics participation is included in this research. Through a case study, the entities and interactions between processes within a blockchain system based on a smart contract are identified. The findings reveal an innovative blockchain approach to logistics in the agri-food supply chain.