Blockchain-enabled traceability for smallholder agricultural supply chains

Thesis Abstract

Blockchain-enabled traceability in smallholder agricultural supply chains offers a transformative solution to persistent information asymmetries, product mislabeling, and inefficiencies in commodity flows from farm to consumer. The study addresses the problem of lack of end-to-end traceability for smallholder farmers who face fragmented records, limited access to finance, and exposure to price volatility due to opaque supply networks. The aim is to evaluate whether a blockchain-based traceability platform can enhance data integrity, financial inclusion, and market access for smallholders, while also examining user adoption determinants and potential impacts on governance and food safety. Specific objectives are (1) to design an actionable blockchain-enabled traceability architecture tailored to smallholder coffee and maize value chains; (2) to assess changes in transaction transparency, trust, and record accuracy pre- and post-implementation; (3) to evaluate farmer access to credit and premium pricing resulting from verified provenance; (4) to identify determinants of farmer and aggregator adoption, including perceived usefulness, ease of use, and infrastructural constraints; and (5) to propose a scalable implementation framework with governance, standards, and risk-mitigation measures. The methodology adopts a mixed-methods research design combining explanatory sequential phases. The population comprises registered smallholder farmers, aggregators, processors, and local extension officers in two agro-ecological zones within a mid-income country’s coffee and maize sectors. A stratified random sample of 400 smallholders and 60 aggregators will be drawn, complemented by purposive selection of 20 processors and 12 extension officers. Data collection instruments include structured surveys to quantify perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, trust, and behavioral intention to adopt, semi-structured interviews to explore contextual factors, and system usage logs from a pilot blockchain platform. Secondary data will be sourced from procurement records, farm-gate prices, and credit issuance data provided by partner financial institutions. Validity and reliability will be ensured through pretesting of instruments, Cronbach’s alpha checks for multi-item scales, and triangulation across survey, interview, and transactional data. Data analysis will employ descriptive statistics and multivariate regression to test adoption determinants, Difference-in-Differences (DiD) to measure changes in transparency and pricing, and propensity score matching to estimate platform-enabled credit access effects. A grounded theory approach will analyze qualitative data to extract emergent themes on governance, trust, and risk. The study will also develop a conceptual model linking blockchain traceability inputs (data integrity, smart contracts, and immutable records) to intermediate outcomes (transparency, trust, and price discovery) and ultimate impacts (farm income, resilience, and market access). Key expected findings include improved data integrity evidenced by reductions in record discrepancies by at least 60% and a measurable increase in farm-gate prices for labeled lots, due to enhanced provenance assurance. It is anticipated that access to formal credit will improve for smallholders with verifiable provenance data, reflected in a 15–25% increase in loan approvals and a reduction in interest rate spreads for platform-participating farmers. Adoption determinants are expected to highlight perceived usefulness and trust as primary drivers, moderated by internet connectivity and digital literacy, with infrastructure improvements correlating with higher uptake. The study also expects to identify governance challenges, such as standard harmonization, data privacy concerns, and the need for inclusive stakeholder engagement mechanisms. The contribution to knowledge encompasses (i) empirical evidence on the efficacy of blockchain-based traceability in smallholder-structured value chains within developing economy contexts; (ii) a transferable implementation framework detailing technical architecture, governance, data standards, and risk management; and (iii) insight into the socio-economic impacts of traceability on credit access, price discovery, and farmer empowerment. The main conclusion is that blockchain-enabled traceability can substantially improve transparency and market functionality for smallholders when accompanied by targeted infrastructural development, stakeholder governance, and capacity-building efforts. Practical recommendations include deploying interoperable data standards, subsidizing digital access for marginalized farmers, integrating with national agricultural information systems, and establishing pilot-to-scale governance pathways with explicit performance metrics and continuous monitoring.