Blockchain readiness assessment for domestic Horticulture traceability in Urban Kenya.

Abstract

Background The horticultural food industry has been facing a lot of crises globally as the market and demand increases leading to difficulties in control, consumer safety concerns and trust of information. Problem To be able to increase the traceability and enhance consumer safety, the information infrastructure has been on constant development and lately is the blockchain technology that has gathered tons of attention as a potential solution to the issues. There is therefore need to establish the level of readiness of horticultural industry actors for blockchain and develop a suitable roadmap for the implementation of blockchain. Objective This study sought to investigate the existing traceability systems in horticultural supply chain and assess the level of stakeholders‟ readiness for blockchain technology. Methodology The research was a case study on urban Kenya domestic horticultural supply chain. An online survey was done on actors, phone interviews conducted, theoretical and empirical findings analyzed then used as a guide in development of a roadmap. Result The research revealed that the future value of blockchain was perceived by actors to be high however regulations, suitable infrastructure, skills and usage were still at conceptual stages. The developed roadmap provides the initiatives and proposed timelines to assist in implementation of the technology. Limitation The study was conducted in the context of domestic horticulture focusing specifically on the urban setup and therefore may not adequately cover the processes in the entire horticultural sector. Conclusion The study indicated that usage of blockchain and that the level of readiness in Kenyan horticultural sector is low. The roadmap developed outlines initiatives for implementation based on the gaps identified during the study and review of literature. Value of Study This study sought to provide a better understanding on the level of readiness of Policy makers, consumers, innovators, and regulators on blockchain technology and to provide a basis for Implementation of the technology in horticultural supply chain.