State officials want to use blockchain technology to ensure the quality and freshness of food.
Officials from the Indian state of Kerala announced they are looking to use blockchain technology to improve the supply chain for milk, vegetables, and fish.
According to a June 17 report[1] by the Press Trust of India, the initiative will be led by the state's think tank, the Kerala Development and Innovation Strategic Council (K-DISC). Chair of the K-DISC, Dr. K.M. Abraham, used the dairy supply chain as an example of how the technology can be valuable for this use case, explaining:
"In the dairy sector, the project will ensure speedy delivery of high quality milk by continuously monitoring production, procurement and distribution through an electronic ledger."
This new system will use the internet of things, RFID Tags, and mobile applications to monitor goods at every point in their journey from the warehouse to point of sale.
K-DISC is also looking to blockchain technology for crop insurance to help speed up the claims process. The technology might help solve disputes between farmers and insurance companies by eliminating middlemen and making clear determinations of fault and instances of natural disasters.
India has a reputation for championing blockchain technology. In March 2017, ETHNews[2] reported that Kerala would be the second state in India to host a blockchain academy, a place where industry participants can go to learn about the emerging technology. In February of this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a "Future Skills"[3] program aimed at providing young people with up-to-date training on new technology and technical skills.
Nathan Graham is a full-time staff writer for ETHNews. He lives in Sparks, Nevada, with his wife, Beth, and
