The United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) is piloting a methodology to assess the readiness of a value chain to implement blockchain technology.
The Global Quality and Standards Project (GQSP) in Ghana aims to advise developing countries on the challenges and benefits of adopting blockchain in a specific value chain.
The GQSP is funded by the Swiss State Secretariat of Economic Affairs (SECO) and implemented in partnership with SIM (Supply Chain Information Management B.V.).
A fact-finding mission has piloted the methodology in the Ghanaian cocoa value chain and has given recommendations on the adoption of the technology.
'First Milestone'
Chief technical advisor of GQSP Ghana, Safoa Osei, added, "The results of the methodology is the first milestone for the application of blockchain in the cocoa value chain in Ghana. It will lay the foundation for the next steps of its implementation."
UNIDO officials, experts on blockchain and a European retailer took part in the mission, which included mapping and understanding the risks and key transactions for stakeholders in the value chain.
The stakeholders included, among others, farmers, primary producers, cooperatives, transporters, warehouses, and the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD).
'Positive Impact'
SIM has worked with over 30 European retailers and producers in making their supply chains transparent and collecting and validating data for better sustainability practices.
Leontien Hasselman, CEO of SIM, said, "Our blockchain projects aim to have a positive impact and focus on the first mile, the smallholder farmers, their communities and environment.
"With this mission and project we hope to build on existing initiatives and take the next step to empower cocoa farmers, democratise data, increase digital traceability and meet growing market demands on transparency and sustainability."
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