Secure Agricultural Data Sharing Architecture Using Blockchain, IoT, and Smart Contracts for Climate-Smart Farming
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Abstract
The rapid advancement of digital technologies has significantly transformed modern agricultural systems and introduced new opportunities for achieving sustainable and climate-smart farming practices. Climate change, environmental degradation, water scarcity, soil fertility decline, unpredictable weather conditions, and increasing food demand have intensified the need for intelligent agricultural management systems capable of supporting data-driven decision-making. In this context, agricultural data has become one of the most valuable resources for improving productivity, sustainability, resource optimization, and climate resilience. However, conventional agricultural data management systems suffer from several limitations, including lack of transparency, centralized data control, cybersecurity vulnerabilities, poor interoperability, data manipulation risks, and inadequate stakeholder trust.
The present study focuses on the development of a secure agricultural data sharing architecture using Blockchain, Internet of Things (IoT), and smart contracts for climate-smart farming. The proposed framework integrates decentralized blockchain infrastructure with IoT-enabled environmental monitoring systems and automated smart contract mechanisms to establish a secure, transparent, scalable, and intelligent agricultural data ecosystem. IoT devices continuously collect real-time agricultural and environmental data related to soil moisture, temperature, humidity, rainfall, crop conditions, water levels, fertilizer usage, pest detection, and climate variability. Blockchain technology ensures secure, immutable, and tamper-resistant storage of agricultural data, while smart contracts automate data access permissions, transaction validation, resource allocation, insurance claims, and supply chain coordination.
The study adopts a mixed-method research design involving both qualitative and quantitative approaches. Primary data were collected through structured questionnaires, interviews, and field observations involving farmers, agricultural officers, climate experts, technology developers, data analysts, and agribusiness stakeholders.
The findings reveal that blockchain-enabled agricultural data sharing systems significantly improve transparency, cybersecurity, stakeholder trust, climate monitoring efficiency, and data accessibility. IoT integration enhances real-time environmental monitoring and climate prediction accuracy, while smart contracts improve automation and decentralized governance. The results further indicate that secure agricultural data sharing frameworks contribute to sustainable farming practices, precision agriculture, and climate adaptation strategies.
The study contributes to the growing field of Agriculture 4.0 and climate-smart agriculture by proposing an integrated technological framework capable of supporting secure agricultural data ecosystems. The research provides valuable insights for policymakers, researchers, agribusiness firms, agricultural institutions, and technology developers interested in promoting sustainable and intelligent agricultural systems.
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