K-Chain: Decision support system for kiwi growers and assurance of agri-food product traceability through a blockchain platform

The project responded to the need to validate, in a real use case, a traceability system for organic farming products that would make it possible to demonstrate the quality, origin, and freshness of the product.

The objectives of the project were:

• To integrate Seresco's precision agriculture software with a traceability ledger based on blockchain technology.
• To develop a query application that would allow end customers to verify the origin and quality of the product.
• To minimize the impact on the farmer's usual workflow by integrating data entry into their daily operations.

The areas on which K-Chain was built were:

• Technological development: creation of the interoperability component between the precision agriculture software and the blockchain ledger.
• User experience: design of a query application built for end customers.

Seresco worked with CTIC, which contributed its specialized blockchain expertise to the development of the component that allowed its precision agriculture software to interact with the blockchain ledger, as well as to the customer query application. The project was a proof of concept, validating the solution in a real and relevant environment: the traceability of organic kiwi production. The work marked a leap in quality over earlier traceability solutions developed by CTIC and opened a line of work with the organic farming sector.