Application of Block Chain Technology in Agricultural Supply Chain Management

Abstract

The provenance system of agricultural products is vital for ensuring food safety. However, the middlemen (growers, farmers, sellers etc.), making it hard to manage data and knowledge with a centralized approach. As a result, the assembly procedure remains non-transparent and trust is tough to create. We propose an agricultural provenance system supported techniques of block chain, which is featured by decentralization, collective maintenance, consensus trust and reliable data, so as to unravel the trust crisis in product supply chain. Recorded information includes the management operations (fertilizing, irrigation, etc.) with certain arrangement. Applying block chain techniques to the provenance of agricultural product not only widens the appliance domain of block chain, but also supports building a reliable community among different stakeholders around agriculture production.