How Blockchain ensures traceability to fight food shortages
The food industry has been faced with several problems in recent times globally, there have also been predictions of food shortages in the near future.
Some of these questions concern, among other things, food safety, sustainability, food waste and nutritional requirements.
In the African food industry, some challenges are unique to the continent and they are limited infrastructure, post-harvest losses, limited access to markets, poor food safety and even worse quality control.
Traceability is largely the antidote to the problems both in Africa and globally, this involves the process of tracking the movement of food straight from the farm to the consumer.
Also read, 4 ways blockchain can power food supply
Traceability is important as it can help solve these global food problems and concerns.
Blockchain technology has the potential to improve this traceability, being a technology that is decentralized and can store information in such a way that it is tamper proof, making it the right technology for the task.
The various ways blockchain does this include the following:
Immutable journaling
Blockchain technology stores information on a block, and this provides a secure and immutable ledger of transactions that can be seen by everyone on the network.
This will prevent tampering and any fraudulent activity as the food moves through the food supply chain.
Increased transparency
With blockchain technology, there is increased transparency and even accountability. As everyone in the supply chain can access information about the food product in real time.
Improved supply chain management
The overall supply chain management will become easier as every activity in the food supply chain is recorded, and this will also help to combat waste.
Blockchain technology will also improve data processing, reduce errors and improve integrity.
Compliance
There are food safety regulations that instruct how food should be handled. Blockchain technology will show food products that have been handled in accordance with these regulations.
In cases of contamination, the affected products can be easily traced and removed from the market.
Increased consumer confidence
Blockchain technology will greatly reduce food fraud and increase consumer confidence in food products as they can see evidence that the food was processed and packaged under high quality processes.
It is important to elaborate on how blockchain can reduce food fraud and checkmate counterfeiting
Products.
Often malicious people flood the market with substandard food products just to make money and this is detrimental to the health and safety of the community.
With the information stored using blockchain technology, it is easy to identify these products, as there will be no record of it on the block. This will ensure that the food purchased is safe and authentic.
In conclusion, blockchain technology is a powerful tool that can help manage the food industry globally in such a way that all the food available in each country can be seen on the block and in cases where there is a higher yield, the surplus can be moved to another country in need the.
This way, food circulates instead of being wasted, and this will help the sustainability of the food industry and ultimately help fight food shortages.
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