Track-and-Trace with Cardano: Growing Accountability, Harvesting Reliability w/ CropConnect

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

Fletcher Watson

[GENERAL] Are you delivering this project as an individual or as an entity (whether formally incorporated or not)

Entity (Incorporated)

[GENERAL] Please specify how many months you expect your project to last (from 2-12 months)

6

[GENERAL] Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated into English from another language

No

[GENERAL] Summarize your solution to the problem (200-character limit including spaces)

Develop a proof of concept Called CropConnect, a blockchain-based traceability system on the Cardano testnet, aimed at improving agricultural transparency.

[GENERAL] Does your project have any dependencies on other organizations, technical or otherwise?

Yes

[GENERAL] If YES, please describe what the dependency is and why you believe it is essential for your project’s delivery. If NO, please write “No dependencies.”

We have a dependency on Agrow Labs, Agrow Labs is essential to our project's delivery as they provide critical expertise in Cardano blockchain development. Their technical support and resources will help us implement CropConnect effectively on Cardano. Collaborating with Agrow Labs ensures that we align with Cardano's best practices and fully leverage its capabilities. We have established the necessary agreements and permissions to work with them on this project.

[GENERAL] Will your project’s output/s be fully open source?

Yes

[GENERAL] Please provide here more information on the open source status of your project outputs

Our project's outputs will be fully open source under the Apache License 2.0.

[METADATA] Horizons

Supply Chain

[SOLUTION] Please describe your proposed solution

Perception of the Problem

Supply chains in agriculture suffer from a lack of transparency due to their fragmented and complex nature. This leads to inefficiencies, increased fraud, reduced farmer incomes, and difficulties in verifying the authenticity and quality of agricultural products. These issues threaten the stability and security of the entire food industry.

Approach

To approach the issue of transparency..etc we propose creating a track and trace solution called CropConnect. Cardano's high scalability, low transaction fees, and robust security features make it ideal for handling the complex data involved in agricultural supply chains. By leveraging blockchain technology, we aim to create an integrated system that securely and immutably records transactions, tracking products from farm to consumer.

Our initial focus will first deploy to test-net which will allow us to explore and refine the application in a controlled environment. This approach minimizes risks and costs associated with full-scale deployment while providing tangible demonstrations of how blockchain can resolve key issues like traceability and fraud in supply chains.

Engagement

CropConnect is posed to engage a diverse range of stakeholders:

• Farmers: Empowering them to ensure their products are sold at fair prices and to track their goods to the end consumer.
• Distributors and Retailers: Enabling them to streamline operations with better inventory management and compliance.
• Consumers: Providing access to detailed information about the products they consume, improving trust and satisfaction.
• Regulators: Offering reliable data for quicker and more effective enforcement of standards.

[IMPACT] Please define the positive impact your project will have on the wider Cardano community

Value

This proposal will bring a positive impact to Cardano by demonstrating how its blockchain can solve real-world challenges in supply chains. Implementing CropConnect showcases Cardano's potential to improve transparency and efficiency in a vital industry, attracting more users and developers.

• Strengthens Cardano's reputation as a practical solution for complex problems.

Impact

We can measure the success and impact of the project by monitoring engagement and adoption within the community. Tracking GitHub metrics and collecting feedback will provide insights into our influence on the ecosystem.

• Observe GitHub stars, forks, and contributions.
• Gather community feedback through forums and social media.

Outputs

We will share our outputs by making all code and documentation publicly accessible on GitHub under the Apache License 2.0. Engaging with the community and encouraging collaboration will foster innovation and growth.

• Provide detailed system specifications and user guides.
• Invite others to contribute to and build upon our project.

[CAPABILITY & FEASIBILITY] What is your capability to deliver your project with high levels of trust and accountability? How do you intend to validate if your approach is feasible?

Our team brings together over 40 years of experience in the agricultural sector and extensive expertise in blockchain development on the Cardano platform. This unique combination of agricultural insight and technical skill positions us to develop and evaluate CropConnect effectively on the testnet.

Our deep-rooted understanding of agriculture enables us to identify and address sector challenges, ensuring that CropConnect is tailored to provide practical benefits even in a testnet environment. With a proven track record of developing applications on Cardano, we can effectively leverage blockchain technology. Our experience in creating track-and-trace systems, successfully tested in controlled settings, showcases our ability to manage complex data integrity issues. Additionally, our leadership ensures effective project execution and high productivity, even when coordinating complex testnet scenarios involving both technical and agricultural teams.

[PROJECT MILESTONES] What are the key milestones you need to achieve in order to complete your project successfully?

 Requirements and System Design

• Milestone Outputs: System specifications and architecture designed for testnet implementation.
• Acceptance Criteria: Approval of system design by reviewers.
• Evidence of completion: Documented system specifications and design diagrams available on GitHub.

Development of Blockchain Infrastructure

• Milestone outputs: Development and deployment of the initial blockchain modules for traceability on the Cardano testnet.
• Acceptance Criteria: Successful testing and functionality confirmed by reviewers.
• Evidence of Completion: Code commits to repository on GitHub and test logs demonstrating module functionality

Development of User Interface

• Milestone Outputs: Creation of a user interface for CropConnect to facilitate interaction with blockchain data on the testnet.
• Acceptance Criteria: User interface developed according to specifications.
• Evidence of Completion: 
• Source code and commits of the user interface on GitHub.
• Screenshots demonstrating key features and functionalities.
• Internal documentation of the user interface.

Simulation with Test Data

• Milestone Outputs: Execution of simulated transactions using test data to demonstrate traceability from origin to destination.
• Acceptance Criteria: Successful simulation of data exchange and operations confirmed by reviewers in a controlled environment.
• Evidence of Completion: Simulation test reports and logs detailing transaction flows and system responses.

Close-out Report

[RESOURCES] Who is in the project team and what are their roles?

Joseph Ridgway

• Role: Agriculture Specialist
• Responsibilities: Integrates traditional farming techniques with blockchain technology, focusing on solutions for the hemp and cannabis industries. Joseph will ensure the platform meets specific agricultural needs.

Fletcher Watson

• Role: Leader in Healthcare and Instructional Design
• Responsibilities: Known for his strategic approach to organizational change, Fletcher will oversee the design of educational programs to facilitate the adoption of CropConnect by stakeholders.

Agrow Labs

• Role: Project Leadership and Blockchain Development
• Responsibilities: Agrow Labs will manage the overall proposal and team, steering the project’s strategy and execution. They will lead the development of blockchain infrastructure, focusing on enhancing transparency and efficiency in agricultural supply chains.

[BUDGET & COSTS] Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources

Milestone 1: Requirements and System Design - 28,584 $ADA

Description: This milestone involves gathering all necessary requirements and designing the system architecture for the CropConnect platform to be implemented on the Cardano testnet.

Milestone 2: Development of Blockchain Infrastructure - 28,584 $ADA

Description: Development and deployment of the initial blockchain modules for CropConnect, focusing on traceability on the Cardano testnet.

Milestone 3: Development of User Interface - 28,584 $ADA

Description: Creation of a user interface that enables interaction with the blockchain data on the testnet for the CropConnect platform.

Milestone 4: Simulation with Test Data - 28,584 $ADA

Description: Execution of simulated transactions using test data to demonstrate traceability and verify system functionality from origin to destination.

Milestone 5:Close-Out and Impact Report - 28,584 $ADA

[VALUE FOR MONEY] How does the cost of the project represent value for money for the Cardano ecosystem?

Investing in CropConnect offers a strategic advantage for the Cardano ecosystem to showcase its capabilities in the global agricultural sector—a crucial yet currently underserved market. The testnet implementation will tackle significant challenges such as supply chain inefficiencies, fraud, and lack of transparency, which are expensive and prevalent issues in agriculture.

Cost Efficiency

The testnet deployment of CropConnect enables us to test and refine blockchain applications in agriculture at a lower cost compared to a full-scale launch. This controlled environment reduces financial risks while demonstrating how blockchain can effectively address critical issues like traceability and fraud in supply chains.

Return on Investment

• Increased Awareness of Cardano: Demonstrating Cardano’s utility in a controlled environment will promote its capabilities and potential for real-world applications, potentially driving broader interest and adoption.
• Innovation and Research: The project will enhance Cardano's reputation as a platform for innovation by contributing to the knowledge and practical experience of applying blockchain to complex supply chains.
• Stakeholder Benefits: This proof of concept will illustrate how increased transparency and robust security features can improve compliance, trust, and product reliability, potentially leading to indirect financial benefits in full-scale deployment.

Community and Ecosystem Growth

• Developer Engagement: By documenting and sharing our development processes and outcomes, we encourage other developers to build upon our work, fostering a more vibrant and innovative Cardano community.