Swiss Blockchain and Ghana Agribusiness Pilot On-Chain Verification to Combat Child Labour

Fedrok, a Swiss Layer-1 blockchain platform, and FarmRight Ghana, a local agribusiness, have launched a pilot project using on-chain verification to combat child labour on cocoa and palm oil farms in Ghana. The initiative combines biometric identification, real-time field inspections, and blockchain-based compliance records to create a tamper-proof system that tracks ethical farming practices. The project aims to verify that all workers are above the legal working age and are employed voluntarily and safely, addressing longstanding issues of unverified compliance and weak enforcement in agriculture supply chains [1].

At the core of the system is palm vein biometric scanning, a highly accurate form of identification used during hiring and payroll. This data is matched against government records to confirm workers’ ages. Employment contracts are logged on Fedrok’s blockchain, ensuring they remain immutable. Independent third-party auditors conduct both scheduled and random inspections, with digitally signed and timestamped reports stored on the chain. Additionally, anonymous reports from community monitors and NGOs can be submitted and recorded, contributing to a distributed oversight system [1].

Each entry in the system is time-stamped, geo-tagged where applicable, and cryptographically sealed. A public view provides high-level status updates, such as "Child-labour safeguards verified," while detailed records are permissioned for privacy. The system tracks both social and environmental compliance metrics, including child labour prevention and soil carbon retention, offering a comprehensive "full-stack ESG" view of each participating farm [1].

The project runs on FDK, Fedrok’s Layer-1 blockchain, which is EVM-compatible and optimized for high-frequency ESG data logging. Fedrok’s consensus mechanism, Proof of Green, validates activity against verified environmental impact—such as carbon credit issuance or renewable-energy-backed operations—before recording it on-chain. This ensures data integrity and prevents tampering. Buyers, regulators, and NGOs can access compliance records through a tiered-access dashboard or via a secure API. The platform’s ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications further enhance credibility and recognition for process and environmental management [1].

The initiative aligns with increasing global scrutiny over supply chains, particularly in light of the European Union’s Deforestation Regulation and the upcoming Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), which will require companies to prove their supply chains are free from human rights abuses and environmental harm. Traditional methods, which often rely on self-reported data and supplier attestations, are increasingly seen as insufficient. Blockchain, when integrated with real-world audits and biometric verification, offers a more robust solution for verifying compliance claims [1].

Beyond compliance, the project is designed to generate revenue for participating farms. Farms that meet both environmental and labour compliance standards can access carbon markets through tokenized carbon credits, command premium pricing from ethical buyers, qualify for impact financing and grants, and receive a blockchain-verifiable compliance seal suitable for traceability systems and packaging. "It’s not enough to tell farmers to ‘do better.’ We’re making sure that doing better actually pays," said Randy Boaitey, Managing Partner at FarmRight Ghana [1].

Currently operating on a pilot basis, the initiative is expanding with plans for additional partnerships with certification bodies, Ghanaian ministries, and impact investors. There are also plans to open the compliance dashboard to consumer-facing platforms, allowing end buyers to verify farm-level claims through QR codes or traceability apps. This project highlights how blockchain, when combined with real-world accountability, can address long-standing issues in global agriculture [1].

Source: [1] Fedrok and FarmRight pilot on-chain verification to reduce child-labour risk on Ghana’s cocoa and palm farms (https://www.newsbtc.com/news/company/fedrok-and-farmright-pilot-on-chain-verification-to-reduce-child-labour-risk-on-ghanas-cocoa-and-palm-farms/)