Blockchain-enabled agri-food supply chain framework: a case of Indian agri-food industry using TISM

What the paper says

Purpose In the disruptive business environment, the agro-food supply chain faces numerous challenges from source to consumption. Consequently, this study aims to investigate how blockchain technology is used in the agri-food chain supply to make it more efficient. In the context of blockchain technology, it is a new digital technology approach that ensures data integrity and prevents tampering and single-point failure by providing fault-tolerance, immutability, trust, transparency and full traceability of stored transaction records to all partners along the agri-food value chain. Design/methodology/approach This study first examines the variables and analyzes the relationship among different variables of the blockchain-enabled agri-food supply chain. Furthermore, this study also analyzed how these variables make agri-food supply more efficient by collecting responses from 32 agri-food supply chain professionals and blockchain experts. To validate the results of an empirical analysis, 245 supply chain professionals were surveyed. Findings Findings indicate that information security is the most influencing variable by using public key infrastructure to authenticate parties and encrypt their communication. This is further validated through empirical study that traceability and transparency are the other two important variables in enabling blockchain in the agri-food supply and reducing the impact of disruptions. The agri-food supply chain is capable of tracing the value chain. Research limitations/implications The scope of the study is constrained by the sample size, which may limit the generalizability of the findings. Expanding the sample size in future studies could provide more robust and comprehensive insights. In addition, this research focuses on specific areas and contexts. Therefore, exploring the adoption of blockchain technology across a broader range of industries and geographic regions would enhance the applicability and relevance of the results. Originality/value This study adds to the domain of the agri-food supply chain and blockchain technology by identifying the driving and dependent elements that blockchain facilitates and further validating the findings and structure of the elements through empirical analysis. The research also supports theory and practice in a meaningful way.