This study scrutinizes the challenges hindering blockchain adoption in agro-food supply chains, despite its potential to enhance transparency and efficiency. It employs the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) method to systematically identify these barriers and analyze their causal relationships.
The study adopted a rigorous three-phase methodology. First, a bibliometric analysis using RStudio mapped the existing research landscape and identified preliminary challenges. Second, a diverse panel of 15 domain experts utilized DEMATEL approach to assess the direct influence among these identified barriers. In the third phase, the quantitative results were interpreted to generate a cause–effect diagram from the calculated C + R and C–R values, visualizing influential relationships and classifying barriers as either causes or effects.
The analysis revealed that “High Implementation Costs/Financial Constraints (C1), Evolving and Ambiguous Policy Frameworks (C5), and Trust issues among various partners (C7)” are critical key drivers. These foundational bottlenecks strongly influence other challenges, demanding immediate attention. Dependent variables, such as “Data Security and Privacy Concerns (C10), Lack of Digital and Physical Infrastructure (C8), and Limited Digital Literacy and Technical Expertise (C6),” were identified as primary effects, indicating that their mitigation depends on addressing the key drivers. Less influential factors like “Interoperability Challenges (C9)” and “Energy Consumption for Sustainability (C2)” become more critical as adoption matures.
This study offers significant insights into barriers to blockchain adoption in India's agri-food supply chain; however, the reliance on domain experts, though carefully selected, introduces an inherent degree of subjectivity to the qualitative assessments. While the DEMATEL method excels at identifying causal relationships, it does not explicitly quantify the precise impact strength of each barrier on the overall adoption rate.
The findings provide strategic insights for policymakers and managers. Priority should be given to developing robust financial incentives, investing substantially in rural digital and physical infrastructure and implementing comprehensive skill development programs, along with establishing clear and adaptive regulatory frameworks. Addressing these core causal barriers can unlock blockchain's transformative potential, enhancing transparency, fostering trust and empowering farmers towards a more resilient and efficient agri-food supply chain, thereby aligning with modernization and sustainable development goals.
