# A Survey of Blockchain Applications for Management in Agriculture and Livestock Internet of Things
## 4 Applications of Blockchain in Agricultural and Animal Husbandry IoT
### Building Trust Frameworks
To maintain data integrity and confidentiality, structured data are encrypted before logging, and unstructured data are stored externally after being digitally signed. The system is distinguished by several technological advancements: (1) It is immutable, guaranteeing the data's authenticity, accuracy, and permanence. (2) It utilizes decentralized storage to mitigate the risks associated with centralized systems. (3) In addition to protecting the privacy of data publishers, it provides adaptable access mechanisms to tackle the issue of data ownership and control within a blockchain framework. (4) It employs traceable smart contracts that, in the event of a quality or safety issue with an agricultural product, automatically collate and upload pertinent data from involved parties to the system, thus preventing data tampering, deletion, or forgery and enabling the accurate determination of the incident's origin. This framework's emphasis on data encryption and flexible access control is pivotal for the system's security and trustworthiness, setting it apart from other blockchain-based traceability systems in agriculture. These innovations successfully balance data privacy concerns and the necessity for efficient data sharing, thereby enhancing the dependability and integrity of the system. In addressing trust issues, paper [111] focuses on blockchain technology within the IoT for overcoming challenges in transparency and information sharing, particularly within the organic agriculture sector. The current reliance on distributed database systems and  
Figure 9: The system logic architecture of agricultural product traceability system in [110]. centralized processing methods can lead to information loss or tampering, thus triggering a crisis of trust among consumers. Targeting the core issues of information asymmetry and opacity, the paper proposes a new framework combining blockchain and edge computing technologies. Blockchain's immutable, transparent, and decentralized nature establishes a more reliable ecosystem for the organic agriculture supply chain, further improved by edge computing's role in enhancing data processing's cost-efficiency and effectiveness. By clearly defining key roles and recording and verifying all related activities on the blockchain, this specially designed framework effectively manages information flow, enhancing the supply chain's transparency and trustworthiness. Contrasting with the focus of paper [111], paper [112] delves into novel methodologies for addressing trust issues within the IoT, especially in the agricultural sector, by employing blockchain technology. The backdrop of this study is the rapidly declining consumer trust in the food industry, primarily driven by frequent food safety incidents such as mad cow disease, with specific apprehensions about the origins and safety of food products. This scenario has amplified the demand for more robust food traceability systems. Current tracking systems, ranging from traditional paper-based records to digital QR code-based solutions, are plagued by inefficiencies and a lack of thorough information verification, posing significant challenges for small and micro enterprises due to their prohibitive costs and complexity of implementation. In [113], it is suggested that blockchain can enhance consumer trust in agricultural and pastoral product supply chains, while paper [114] delves into the complexities and solutions related to IoT implementation in smart agriculture. As IoT technology becomes increasingly prevalent in agricultural settings, notably in areas like real-time monitoring, environmental sensing, and communication, it facilitates the shift from traditional farming practices to smart agriculture. This progress, however, introduces new challenges, especially concerning security and privacy protections.