In the heart of Tanzania’s agricultural landscape, a quiet revolution is brewing, one that could reshape the power dynamics of agricultural supply chains and pave the way for more equitable technology adoption. At the forefront of this change is Deo Shao, a researcher from the University of Dodoma, who has been investigating the role of power relations in agricultural supply chains and their impact on sustainability, market access, and technology adoption.
Shao’s study, published in the journal *Scientific African* (which translates to *African Science*), employs the Resource Dependence Theory (RDT) to explain the influence of power asymmetries between stakeholders, such as large buyers and smallholder farmers, on the diffusion of emerging technologies in the Agricultural Supply Chain (ASC). The research is a mixed-methods approach, combining field surveys in three regions of Tanzania with a comprehensive literature review.
The findings are striking. Buyers exert disproportionate influence over pricing, with a mean score of 5.61, while smallholders, youth, and women remain marginalised, with mean scores below 4.0. “This disparity signals critical barriers to equitable technology adoption,” Shao notes. Large-scale farmers and buyers heavily influence pricing decisions and technology adoption, creating a significant disparity where smallholders and buyers exhibit almost no pricing alignment (r = 0.002), whereas buyers and national leaders show a close alignment (r = 0.396).
The study also reveals that strong Agricultural Marketing Cooperative Societies (AMCOS) reported higher stakeholder influence than weak ones, with a mean score of 5.76 compared to 4.85. This suggests that stronger cooperative structures can help rebalance power dynamics within the supply chain.
Shao argues that blockchain technology can intervene by decentralising information access to rebalance these power asymmetries and enhance market inclusion. “Blockchain technology offers a promising solution to decentralise information access, thereby rebalancing power dynamics and enhancing market inclusion,” Shao explains. This could have profound implications for the agricultural sector, particularly in regions where smallholder farmers have traditionally been marginalised.
The study offers empirical insights for designing inclusive, technology-enabled agricultural markets. It provides policymakers with targeted interventions to enable smallholders, women, and other disadvantaged groups to access and adopt technologies. Comparative research in different regions could further expand the understanding of how power dynamics and technology adoption evolve.
As the world grapples with the challenges of sustainable development and equitable growth, Shao’s research shines a light on the transformative potential of blockchain technology in agricultural supply chains. By rebalancing power dynamics and enhancing market inclusion, blockchain could pave the way for a more equitable and sustainable future for smallholder farmers in Tanzania and beyond.