Ripple teams with local groups to test blockchain traceability and credit tools for 300 Colombian farmers.
Farmers use QR codes to track panela crops, sell transparently, and repay loans after harvest.

Ripple, in partnership with Colombian agriculture technology company WËIA and venture arm Mercy Corps Ventures, has launched a six-month pilot that is designed to reshape agricultural finance and traceability for small farmers in Colombia. The initiative is XRP Ledger-powered and is set to impact 300 farmers, providing a blockchain-powered supply chain model that could solve long-standing problems in the agriculture sector.

Excited to launch our latest Ripple Impact collaboration with @MCSocialVenture as part of our Unlocking Opportunity initiative. https://t.co/fWZfU6pwxM

In partnership with WËIA, this pilot leverages the XRP Ledger to test how blockchain traceability could boost incomes for 300…

— Ripple (@Ripple) May 15, 2025

The initiative is part of Ripple Impact’s Unlocking Opportunity program, supporting financial inclusion by technology. Mercy Corps Ventures is in a leading position as a partner in the initiative. The initiative has a high gender concentration—46% of farmers involved are women, almost doubling the national average of 26% in Colombia.

Farmers participating in the pilot will produce approximately 240 tonnes of panela on a monthly basis. This unrefined cane sugar is an agricultural product of major importance in Colombia. The quantity offers a significant foundation for trial of blockchain’s potential in transparency of the supply chain and income stabilization.

Farmers Get a Break — ‘Pay Later’ Model Revolutionizes Credit Access

The program is dependent on WËIA’s platform developed on the XRP Ledger that provides end-to-end tracing from planting through harvest. Buyers are provided with QR codes in each batch of product for assurance of the goods’ origin and sustainability level. The system is set up for the growing need for transparent sourcing practices.

The structure of the XRP Ledger facilitates this by allowing secure, affordable, and sustainable recording of data. Not only does the system of traceability prove production provenance, but it also presents new financial tools for farmers, such as a “Farm Now, Pay Later” mechanism. Under this arrangement, farmers get inputs during the planting period without immediate payment, paying for them later with harvest proceeds through the use of traceability.

Currently, one of the major issues in the rural economy of Colombia is that there is no financial history and documentation. Approximately 86% of small farmers are working informally, and 79% of those in the rural areas have limited or no accessibility of credit. Due to this, most receive 70% of the minimum living income of the nation.

Monitoring Impact Through Clear Metrics

The initiative, supported by Ripple, has set out three testing objectives. One is determining how traceability information impacts the market price of farmers’ produce. Another is measuring retailers’ satisfaction with being dependent on audited records. A third is determining how farmers are concluding formal contracts, including forward contracts, with large buyers during the program.

The pilot also responds to worldwide issues of food authenticity. Industry sources estimate that food fraud covers up to 10% of world supplies and causes up to $50 billion in losses every year. By using immutable product histories, the project prevents fraud and provides a reliable system for stakeholders.

The long-term objective is applying blockchain for the purpose of boosting farmers’ confidence in sourcing and expanding smallholders’ financial inclusion. If successful, the Colombian pilot could serve as a model for extending it into other regions with analogous challenges.

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Filed under: Bitcoin - @ May 16, 2025 1:26 pm