Last updated 6 months ago
Small farmers face limited access to large buyers, opaque pricing, and trust issues. Existing markets lack transparency, fair bidding, and verified identities to ensure secure, efficient transactions
A Cardano-based dApp with fair bidding, verified seller/buyer identities via Veridian, real-time price guidance, and ADA wallet support, connecting small farmers to large buyers securely
This is the total amount allocated to Agrilcture Marketplace with Bidding & Verified ID.
Please provide your proposal title
Agrilcture Marketplace with Bidding & Verified ID
Enter the amount of funding you are requesting in ADA
74000
Please specify how many months you expect your project to last
5
Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated
No
Original Language
en
What is the problem you want to solve?
Small farmers face limited access to large buyers, opaque pricing, and trust issues. Existing markets lack transparency, fair bidding, and verified identities to ensure secure, efficient transactions
Supporting links
Does your project have any dependencies on other organizations, technical or otherwise?
No
Describe any dependencies or write 'No dependencies'
'No dependencies'
Will your project's outputs be fully open source?
Yes
License and Additional Information
This project will be fully open source, with all Aiken smart contracts, mobile app code, backend services, architecture diagrams, technical documentation, and test suites published on GitHub under the Apache-2.0 license. This ensures transparency, allows independent audits, and enables any team globally to adopt, adapt, and improve the bidding, identity, and escrow model for agricultural trade.
Please choose the most relevant theme and tag related to the outcomes of your proposal.
Marketplace
Describe what makes your idea innovative compared to what has been previously funded (whether by you or others).
This project is innovative because it merges Cardano-native Aiken smart contracts with Veridian identity verification in a mobile-first agricultural marketplace. Verified identities ensure trust and compliance, while real-time on-chain bidding with escrow and dispute resolution promotes transparency. A built-in 1% fee funds sustainability, fair pricing algorithms empower farmers, universal wallet support eases adoption, and the fully open-source model makes it replicable worldwide.
Describe what your prototype or MVP will demonstrate, and where it can be accessed.
The prototype will showcase the core marketplace, enabling farmers and buyers to register, verify identities via Veridian, and list products. It will feature live bidding powered by Aiken-based smart contracts, with on-chain escrow, dispute resolution, and an automated 1% transaction fee. The MVP will add fair pricing calculations, universal ADA wallet support, and a mobile app for real-time bids and notifications. Both will be deployed on Cardano testnet, fully open source on GitHub with code, API docs, and user guides, and accessible via web portal, Android APK, and iOS TestFlight.
Describe realistic measures of success, ideally with on-chain metrics.
Success will be measured by total transaction count, ADA volume processed, and month-over-month growth in sales and bids. Metrics include % of verified Veridian identities, escrow completions without dispute, repeat users, and active listings. 1% fee revenue and multi-wallet usage will track sustainability, while listing and bid activity will reflect marketplace liquidity and adoption.
Please describe your proposed solution and how it addresses the problem
This project will deliver a fully open-source, Aiken-based smart contract and mobile-first dApp that connects small farmers to large buyers through a secure, transparent bidding and identity-verified marketplace. The system will integrate Veridian for seller and buyer verification, ensuring compliance with agricultural trade standards and building trust between parties.
The core of the platform will be the auction and bidding smart contracts, written in Aiken for Cardano. These will handle listing creation, sealed or open bids, automated selection of winning offers, escrow of funds, and release of payment upon verified delivery. The contracts will also enforce a 1% transaction fee, sent directly to the platform treasury for sustainability.
The mobile application (Android/iOS) will provide farmers with simple tools to create listings, upload product data, photos, certifications, and set minimum prices. Buyers will have access to search and filter options, real-time bid tracking, and secure payment via all major Cardano wallets (Lace, Eternl, Gero, etc.).
Veridian integration will ensure all users—whether producers, brokers, or buyers—are identity-verified before trading. This prevents fraud, improves compliance, and increases buyer confidence. On-chain attestations from Veridian will be linked directly to each user’s listings and bids.
The system will also feature fair pricing tools, using market data and historical sales records to recommend minimum viable prices to farmers, ensuring equitable transactions.
All transactions, bids, and sales will be immutably recorded on Cardano, creating a transparent, auditable history. The MVP will focus on high-demand agricultural commodities with strong local and export markets, such as grains, coffee, and produce.
By enabling direct P2P, P2B, and B2B transactions, the platform removes costly intermediaries, improves market efficiency, and increases revenue for producers. Over time, the model can expand to handle logistics integration, crop insurance smart contracts, and cross-border payments.
This combination of identity verification, secure bidding, multi-wallet support, fair pricing, and transparent settlement represents a first-of-its-kind agricultural marketplace for LATAM on Cardano—designed for scalability, replicability, and long-term ecosystem impact.
User flow: Farmer/buyer signs up in the app → completes Veridian KYC → receives a verifiable credential (VC) bound to their DID.
On-chain use: When creating a listing or placing a bid, the wallet submits a tx that references the Veridian VC UTxO (or datum) as a reference input.
Contract rule: The Aiken validator module IdentityCheck verifies the issuer, schema, expiry, and non-revocation before allowing the action.
Create listing: Seller fills product, quantity, grade/certifications, min price, close time.
Storage: Human-readable data → IPFS (CID saved). Pricing/close time/owner → datum in an Auction UTxO at the AuctionManager script address.
Why: Keeps the chain lean while making the listing immutable and auditable.
Place bid: Buyer calls BidHandler.place_bid with qty and unit price; tx references the target Auction UTxO + identity proof; ADA (or stable asset) is locked in the bid UTxO or guaranteed by wallet balance rules.
Ranking: The contract enforces bid rules (e.g., min qty, higher unit price wins for open auction, or selection after close for sealed).
Outbid logic: If a bid is surpassed, outbid_refund path enables the prior bidder to withdraw safely.
Escrow lock: After auction close and winner selection, buyer calls Settlement.lock_escrow. Contract creates Escrow UTxO with total price and computes 1% fee.
Delivery confirm: Buyer (or oracle/signer) later calls Settlement.release_payout. Contract splits funds → seller payout + 1% to Treasury script address.
Refunds: If delivery fails or deadline passes, Settlement.refund_buyer returns funds (minus any agreed costs).
Please define the positive impact your project will have on the wider Cardano community
This project transforms how agricultural trade operates in Latin America by embedding trust, transparency, and efficiency directly into the transaction layer. Small and mid-sized farmers—often excluded from premium markets—gain a secure, blockchain-powered channel to connect with larger buyers without surrendering margins to middlemen. Every product, from harvest to delivery, is tracked on-chain, with Veridian-verified identities ensuring that both sellers and buyers are legitimate and trustworthy.
By implementing a fair bidding system, the platform levels the playing field, enabling buyers to compete transparently for high-quality produce while giving farmers the confidence that they will be paid according to agreed terms via smart-contract escrow. This not only improves farmer incomes but also creates a verifiable record of fair trade practices.
For buyers, it reduces sourcing risks by providing immutable provenance records, supplier verification, and on-chain dispute resolution mechanisms. Regulators and certification bodies can also leverage the transparent ledger to confirm compliance with food safety, sustainability, and trade laws without intrusive audits.
The Cardano ecosystem benefits from sustained on-chain activity through auctions, bids, escrows, and final settlements—generating recurring transaction volume. The open-source Aiken contract suite and mobile codebase make it possible for other markets, crops, or geographies to adopt the model without starting from scratch, accelerating adoption beyond the initial region.
Ultimately, the project replaces opaque, fragmented agricultural trade with a replicable, trust-based, blockchain-native system that supports real-world commerce, strengthens supply chains, and promotes ethical, sustainable agricultural growth.
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?
Caleb Montiel brings extensive leadership experience in blockchain community development and governance within Cardano. He has founded and scaled the Paraguay Community Hub with minimal initial funding, demonstrating the ability to create lasting impact through strategic partnerships, event organization, and self-sustaining initiatives. Caleb has successfully hosted constitutional workshops, organized meetups, and led high-profile community engagements that align closely with Cardano’s mission.
The team includes:
Steven Montiel – Marketing & Content Specialist, with proven skill in producing compelling multimedia content to engage diverse audiences and drive adoption.
Diego – Visual & Branding Designer, experienced in creating clear, professional visuals for blockchain projects and outreach campaigns.
Jonathan – Frontend Developer, capable of building user-friendly, mobile-optimized interfaces that are accessible to non-technical users in rural and urban settings.
For this project, Caleb’s leadership and network will be complemented by developers specializing in Aiken smart contract development and backend architecture—already engaged and ready to execute once funding is secured. The combined capabilities ensure strong delivery across governance, business engagement, user onboarding, and technical development.
The team’s track record in building impactful initiatives on low budgets, coupled with established relationships in Latin America’s agricultural, technology, and governance sectors, makes the proposed dApp not only feasible but highly likely to achieve its adoption and sustainability goals. The phased rollout, clear milestones, and open-source commitment further ensure transparency and long-term viability.
Milestone Title
Milestone 1 – Smart Contract & Core Development
Milestone Outputs
Output: Deliver a fully functional Aiken smart contract with bidding logic, Veridian identity integration, and 1% fee system. Integrate backend APIs and wallet compatibility for Lace, Eternl, and other ADA wallets, ready for testnet deployment and community testing.
Acceptance Criteria
Criteria: Smart contract passes unit/integration tests, identity checks confirmed, and wallet connections operate without errors. Testnet deployment must show working bidding, verified seller/buyer identities, and automatic fee handling. Documentation published on GitHub.
Evidence of Completion
Evidence: Public GitHub repository with code, architecture diagrams, and smart contract scripts. Testnet hashes verifying transactions, identity verification logs, and recorded demos showing wallet connections and bidding processes from listing to payment.
Delivery Month
2
Cost
22200
Progress
30 %
Milestone Title
Milestone 2 – Marketplace Beta & User Onboarding
Milestone Outputs
Output: Launch a live beta marketplace enabling verified sellers/buyers, active bidding, and fair price calculator. Ensure all wallet integrations work seamlessly. Begin onboarding farmers and buyers, with at least 10 active listings visible to the public.
Acceptance Criteria
Criteria: Marketplace beta runs without downtime, with smooth transaction flow and proper fee capture. On-chain data shows at least 10 listings, with multiple verified transactions. Users successfully onboard using identity verification and participate in bids.
Evidence of Completion
Evidence: On-chain transaction records confirming listings and sales, beta demo video walkthrough, screenshots of active listings, and user onboarding logs. GitHub commits showing fixes and updates, plus public access to the beta for community feedback.
Delivery Month
4
Cost
22200
Progress
60 %
Milestone Title
Milestone 3 – Full Launch & Close-Out
Milestone Outputs
Output: Public launch with stable performance, growing transaction volumes, and visible marketplace activity. Produce final close-out video and report highlighting technical achievements, user adoption, and roadmap for scaling.
Acceptance Criteria
Criteria: Demonstrated ability to operate self-sufficiently with 1% fee revenue flowing into project wallet. On-chain data shows consistent transactions and verified identities. Final outputs published openly for community and stakeholders.
Evidence of Completion
Evidence: Blockchain explorer screenshots and wallet records showing fee revenue and trade volumes. Final PDF close-out report with metrics, screenshots, and stakeholder feedback. Public close-out video presenting results, lessons learned, and future plans.
Delivery Month
5
Cost
29600
Progress
100 %
Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources
Aiken smart contract development for bidding logic, escrow, fair pricing calculations, and 1% transaction fee mechanism.
Backend infrastructure for order books, transaction monitoring, API integrations, and security layers.
Includes developer audits and testing cycles to ensure contract safety.
Mobile-first user interface for farmers and buyers with wallet integration (Nami → Lace, Eternl, Flint).
User-friendly dashboards for listings, bids, and purchases.
Multi-language support (Spanish & English).
On-chain supplier and buyer identity verification using Veridian tooling.
Role-based permissions for farmers, businesses, and large buyers.
Reputation scoring system linked to verified identities.
Marketplace hosting and maintenance during MVP pilot.
Testnet + mainnet deployments.
Early onboarding support for small farmers and 1–2 pilot buyers.
Transactional simulations to validate smart contract flow.
Onboarding farmers through workshops and direct engagement.
Business partnerships with agricultural suppliers and buyers.
Open knowledge sessions to showcase marketplace functionality to the Cardano ecosystem.
How does the cost of the project represent value for the Cardano ecosystem?
This proposal delivers excellent value for money by focusing resources on building a fully functional agricultural trading dApp that directly connects farmers with buyers through transparent bidding and verified identities. By charging a 1% transaction fee on every trade, the platform ensures it is self-sustaining, continuously generating revenue and on-chain activity without the need for repeat treasury funding.
The ₳74,000 budget is directed almost entirely toward smart contract development in Aiken, Veridian integration for identity verification, and mobile-first dApp design. This means the majority of funds go into tangible infrastructure that will remain accessible to the community long after delivery, with no unnecessary administrative or marketing overhead.
For Cardano, this project provides a real-world DeFi use case in agriculture, a sector with massive relevance in Latin America. It not only demonstrates blockchain’s ability to support fair trade and efficiency but also increases the adoption of ADA wallets across both individual farmers and large buyers. The marketplace model is replicable, allowing expansion into other regions and industries while retaining sustainability through transaction-based funding.
In contrast to projects that rely on continuous grants, this proposal builds a permanent, revenue-generating ecosystem, ensuring long-term impact and reinforcing Cardano’s role as the blockchain of choice for practical, transparent, and socially impactful solutions.
Terms and Conditions:
Yes
Caleb (Project Lead)
Experienced in blockchain community building, entrepreneurship, and sustainable business models. Successfully created Curation with near-zero investment, built agricultural ventures including macadamia exports to the US, and hosted multiple Cardano meetups and constitutional workshops.
Steven Montiel (Marketing & Content)
Leads content creation, outreach, and brand visibility. Experienced in messaging that connects blockchain solutions to real-world audiences and partnerships.
Diego (Marketing & Community Engagement)
Focused on communications, event support, and connecting the hub with local communities and businesses. Helps onboard users and partners into Cardano’s ecosystem.
Jonathan (Frontend Developer)
Specializes in building intuitive user interfaces for dApps and platforms, ensuring accessibility for farmers, businesses, and large buyers connecting via Cardano tools.
[To Be Hired] Backend Developer (Already Engaged)
Will design and maintain server-side architecture, API integration, and ensure scalability of the marketplace dApp. Already engaged and committed to join upon funding.
[To Be Hired] Aiken Smart Contract Developer (Already Engaged)
Will build and maintain Aiken-based smart contracts for bidding, escrow, fee capture, and identity verification. Already in discussions and ready to join upon funding.