In the sprawling fields and bustling markets of the agri-food sector, a silent revolution is brewing. As consumers demand more transparency and authenticity in their food, traditional supply chains are struggling to keep up. Enter Manuela Cordeiro, a researcher from the Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE—IUL) in Portugal, who is pioneering a new approach to transform agricultural supply chains using cutting-edge technologies.
Cordeiro’s work, recently published in Applied Sciences (translated from Portuguese), delves into the potential of decentralised identity and digital twins to create verifiable product identities. This isn’t just about tracking a product from farm to fork; it’s about establishing a digital twin—a virtual replica—that can interact with the physical product, ensuring its authenticity and safety throughout the supply chain.
At the heart of this innovation lies blockchain technology, but Cordeiro and her team are taking it a step further. They propose a layered system architecture that integrates Decentralised Identifiers (DIDs), digital twins, and smart contracts. “We’re not just looking at traceability,” Cordeiro explains. “We’re creating a system where each product has a unique, verifiable digital identity that can’t be tampered with.”
Imagine a world where every apple, every grain of rice, has a digital twin that can communicate its journey through the supply chain. This digital twin, backed by blockchain, can provide real-time data on the product’s condition, origin, and even its environmental impact. Smart contracts can then automate trust mechanisms, ensuring that every stakeholder in the supply chain—from farmer to retailer—can verify the product’s authenticity and safety.
The implications for the agri-food sector are immense. Fraudulent labelling, contamination risks, and the lack of real-time tracking systems could become a thing of the past. But the potential doesn’t stop at the farm gate. This technology could revolutionize the energy sector as well, ensuring the provenance and authenticity of renewable energy sources.
Cordeiro’s research identifies key gaps in interoperability, governance, and system maturity. She proposes a roadmap for empirical validation and policy alignment, contributing a practical and scalable framework for researchers, practitioners, and regulators. “We’re at the beginning of a journey,” she says. “But the potential is enormous.”
As we stand on the cusp of this digital revolution, one thing is clear: the future of agricultural supply chains is not just about traceability. It’s about creating a web of trust, where every product has a verifiable digital identity, and every stakeholder can interact with confidence. And with researchers like Manuela Cordeiro leading the way, that future is within reach. The research was published in Applied Sciences, a peer-reviewed journal that covers a broad range of scientific disciplines.