Callaghan Innovation: Connecting industry problems with startup solutions
Gaining exposure to relevant innovation, "without being swamped in the sheer volume of options", is one of the main challenges for winegrowers considering agrictech.
Blockchain and distributed ledger technologies have the potential to help our primary industries capture high-value niches, according to a new report.
They can help the sector connect more directly to consumers through supply chain innovations.
The report was commissioned by the Callaghan Innovation and blockchain venture studio Centrality.
The report ‘Distributed Ledgers and Blockchains – Opportunities for New Zealand’ by author Joshua Vial from entrepreneurial company Enspiral, outlined several blockchain initiatives now being used in the primary sector.
One example of primary sector work given in the December report is the AsureQuality Food Trust Framework.
NZ Post, AsureQuality (AQ) and NZ Trade and Enterprise have joined forces with Alibaba and local blockchain companies Trackback and Sylo to provide an export and tracking service for local, high-quality food producers.
“The project has been in development for over 14 months and is currently in a pilot phase. Chinese consumers consider fraudulent activity to be pervasive and a primary barrier to accessing safe food,” the report says.
“By scanning an AQ Assured Assurance Mark on their mobile phone a consumer can confirm their purchase is genuine and safe. Additionally, the project aims to connect NZ producers directly with Chinese consumers and remove intermediaries while maintaining high margins on premium products.”
The first participant is the HUI Maori collective to launch a broad offering of high-quality wine, manuka honey, natural snack bars and tonic water direct to Chinese consumers through an ecommerce platform.
The report says several projects here and overseas are focused on solving supply chain problems with distributed ledgers, which could have a significant impact on NZ’s primary industries.
NZ Post and Fonterra are also partnering with Alibaba to use blockchain technology to track consumers’ orders in an effort to increase food safety.
Centrality’s Trackback project is in live trials of a supply chain traceability solution to showcase NZ products in international markets.
Australian-based Blockgrain uses blockchain technology to help participants in the grain supply chain make better informed decisions, eliminate paperwork, reduce inefficiency and risk, open markets and increase profits.
Provenance is a blockchain company from the United Kingdom that is creating and fostering open, accessible information about products to transform the global economy. The company has completed pilot projects focused on tracing sustainably caught tuna and proving that farmers have received fair compensation.
Among the regular exhibitors at last month’s South Island Agricultural Field Days, the one that arguably takes the most intensive preparation every time is the PGG Wrightson Seeds site.
Two high producing Canterbury dairy farmers are moving to blended stockfeed supplements fed in-shed for a number of reasons, not the least of which is to boost protein levels, which they can’t achieve through pasture under the region’s nitrogen limit of 190kg/ha.
Buoyed by strong forecasts for milk prices and a renewed demand for dairy assets, the South Island rural real estate market has begun the year with positive momentum, according to Colliers.
The six young cattle breeders participating in the inaugural Holstein Friesian NZ young breeder development programme have completed their first event of the year.
New Zealand feed producers are being encouraged to boost staff training to maintain efficiency and product quality.
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