RESULD Consortium Publishes Position Paper on Digital Transformation in Fresh Produce Supply Chains
The RESULD research consortium has released a comprehensive position paper addressing critical challenges in global fresh produce supply chains and charting pathways toward digital transformation. Through analysis of two case studies—Netherlands-UK trade focusing on digital phytosanitary certificates and Kenyan avocado exports exploring due diligence requirements—the consortium demonstrates how current paper-based systems create information bottlenecks, fraud vulnerabilities, and limited supply chain visibility. The paper argues that digital solutions including blockchain, AI, and interoperable traceability platforms can enhance accountability and transparency, but emphasizes the importance of people-centered design with multi-stakeholder involvement rather than viewing technology as a silver bullet. A central finding highlights the need to include small and medium-sized enterprises who face significant barriers to digital adoption despite having basic technology access.
The consortium has developed a baseline solutions that was demonstrated to stakeholders and is currently advancing use cases for end-to-end visibility while developing advanced features for certification processes. This collaborative research represents an important step toward more resilient, equitable, and sustainable global food systems.