Harnessing the power of blockchain in the agri-food sector: a meta-analysis of current research and best practices

The Blockchain is a shared and ``immutable” data structure defined as a digital register whose entries are grouped into ``blocks”, concatenated in chronological order, and whose integrity is guaranteed through the use of cryptography. Blockchain technology in agriculture and agribusiness has gained significant attention as a potential solution to various challenges the agri-food industry faces. In this paper, we conduct a meta-analysis exploring the various applications of Blockchain in agriculture and agribusiness. We examine the types of technology used, the specific product branches involved, and the security protocols employed. Our findings show that several experiments and pilot projects have been conducted in the field and that Blockchain applications such as Hyperledger Fabric and Corda are ready for real-world implementation in the agri-food sector. We also identify potential benefits of using Blockchain in the agri-food sector, including enhanced product quality guarantees, improved traceability and transparency, assurance of provenance, and more equitable distribution of profits along the agri-food supply chain. Overall, our review suggests that the use of Blockchain in agriculture and agribusiness has the potential to address a range of challenges faced by these sectors and drive innovation, technical, and economic efficiencies.