Figure 4: Typical agri-food supply chain scenario34
The Hyperledger Fabric framework is based on the Linux Foundation’s open-source project. It aims to develop an extensible blockchain development framework that provides solutions for enterprise-level blockchain applications by allowing multiple parties to be involved in the development, deployment, and operation of the consortium blockchain platform35. With Hyperledger Fabric we can create an operating model that is low-cost and efficient, known as a federated chain model, based on public chains36
Hyperledger-based frameworks also offer the potential of ensuring fair price provisions for cultivators who live mainly in the Global South. The Hyperledger-implemented coffee transparency evaluation involves establishing coffee bean provenance, along with its quality and freshness and identifying supply chain bottlenecks37. Apart from establishing provenance, the system also helped establish full price transparency to ensure producers receive fair prices. Hyperledger-based systems like this can also ensure transparency for producers by digitizing the paper trail and sharing audits to demonstrate that they use and promote sustainable farm practices37. While Hyperledger applications are preferred in a business context37they are disadvantageous in high cost, slow data transition rate, low security.38More importantly, permissioned blockchains such as Hyperledger do not allow general users to verify and trust the product. This defeats the purpose of utilizing blockchain technology. It will be very difficult to identify manipulations, whether they are done at the backend by a third party or an authorized party, in the absence of external validators. Permissionless blockchains such as those offered by Ethereum, on the other hand, are open to general users14.