Blockchain-Enabled Secure Identity Verification in Agri-Food Supply Chain

The agri-food supply chain has become increasingly complex in recent years, encompassing many participants in moving food from farming to consumption. However, the system’s complexity creates issues, such as unauthorized identity use and deception, where unethical individuals might exploit flaws. Due to increased incidences of identity theft and fraudulent behavior, the agricultural and food industry has seen a growing need for enhanced security controls in supply chain operations in recent years. Identity theft and fraud pose significant obstacles in the agri-food supply chain, generating financial losses, reputational damage, and compromised food safety. Traditional identity verification solutions, such as centralized databases and paper-based records, are vulnerable to manipulation and data breaches. This paper proposes a blockchain technology-based secure and tamper-resistant identity verification system throughout the agri-food supply chain to address the above issues. Because blockchain enables decentralization, permanence, anonymity, and transparency, it is an efficient way of combating identity theft and fraud. The adoption of blockchain improves clarity, assures data integrity, and provides traceability, encouraging trust among stakeholders while preventing unauthorized access and manipulation. This paper explores the possible benefits, problems, and future possibilities of adopting blockchain-based identity verification systems in the agri-food supply chain. The proposed solution has been successfully tested and verified on the Ethereum platform.