Digital innovation is reshaping global agriculture and ensuring that farmers can access and benefit from new tools is central to WFO’s mission. As blockchain technologies continue to evolve, it is increasingly clear that the agri-food sector doesn’t need a single blockchain, but an interoperable ecosystem able to connect technologies, policies, and supply chains across borders.

Within this context, the TRUSTyFOOD Research and Innovation Roadmap provides timely guidance on how blockchain can contribute to more secure, transparent, and resilient food systems. Projects like TRUSTyFOOD demonstrate that blockchain can become an enabler of trust, sustainability, and competitiveness – but only when embedded in coordinated strategies that reflect both policy priorities and global agricultural conditions.

As a partner in the TRUSTyFOOD consortium, WFO ensured that the perspective of farmers as entrepreneurs remains central throughout the Roadmap. Drawing on insights from its global network, WFO stressed the need for digital solutions that are practical, accessible, and interoperable, while avoiding wider digital divides and ensuring that innovation remains inclusive.

Developed over 36 months and shaped by WFO’s contributions, alongside input from over 200 stakeholders across 19 countries, the Roadmap offers the European Commission a strategic lens on how blockchain can address persistent challenges in the agri-food sector and accelerate the transition towards sustainable and inclusive food systems.

©TRUSTyFOOD

Findings and Strategic Areas of Action

Key findings include:

• 320 blockchain use cases analysed, with 147 based in the EU
• Major barriers: infrastructure gaps, limited digital literacy, lack of farmer-centric tools, and exclusion from digital governance
• Actionable solutions: co-created pathways to foster meaningful uptake

Three strategic areas of action emerge:

1. Technical needs & digitalisation – Common standards and interoperability are essential to embed blockchain within broader traceability and sustainability frameworks.
2. Capacity building – Farmers, SMEs, and supply chain actors need targeted support, training, and infrastructure to close the capability gap.
3. Innovative business models – New models must reduce intermediaries, boost transparency, and empower farmers, connecting them more directly with consumers and unlocking new financing opportunities.

The Roadmap also provides clear guidance for policymakers, highlighting where blockchain technologies are most useful and which regulatory, financial, and operational interventions are required to unlock their potential.

For WFO, blockchain remains one of several digital tools that — when designed with farmers, and not only for them — can strengthen trust along food systems, enhance competitiveness, and support more resilient agriculture. WFO will continue advocating for inclusive digital ecosystems that empower farmers within global agricultural value chains.

Visit the TRUSTyFOOD website to access the full Roadmap and the latest project publications and resources.