Palm oil traceability : blockchain meets supply chain

Abstract

There is a current lack of visibility in the transfer of goods from farmers to oil mills, to manufacturers, to retail outlets and finally to the consumer in the palm oil industry. While leading brands have pledged to commit to a 100% sustainable certification, only 19% of global palm oil production is certified as sustainable. Emerging technologies, such as blockchain, a distributed ledger, can transform supply chain traceability as we know it and bring more transparency through the value chain, creating value to stakeholders. From a process perspective, the proposed solution leverages the mass balance, and book and claim traceability models that RSPO has defined. From a technology perspective, the proposed solution leverages blockchain, geospatial imagery classification, and IoT technologies to keep track of the flow of physical goods and sustainable palm oil certificates. From a people perspective, the proposed solution includes a set of incentive models that could be utilized in easing change management efforts.