Blockchain technology for risk management in food supply chain: A systematic literature review on emerging themes and sustainability implications

Abstract

Food supply chains (FSCs) are increasingly vulnerable to systemic disruptions, intensified by black swan events and growing sustainability demands. Blockchain technology (BCT) has emerged as a key enabler of transparency, traceability, and decentralized coordination in FSCs. This study conducts a systematic literature review (SLR) of 68 peer-reviewed articles published between 2020 and 2025, applying the context-intervention-mechanism-outcome (CIMO) framework for analysis and strategic topic mapping using SciMAT. This study introduces the Dynamic Supply Chain Capability (DSCC) lens to assess BCT's strategic role in FSCs. Findings reveal that BCT primarily supports risk identification and monitoring through traceability and immutable data recording, with adoption driven by trust-building and responsiveness to disruption. Despite increasing interest in BCT in FSCs, its integration with AI and other technologies for precision farming and food distribution remains underexplored. In addition, by mapping existing studies to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this study finds that SDG 2 and SDG 12 are the most frequently addressed, while SDG 8, SDG 10, SDG 13, and SDG 16 present promising areas for future investigation. This study contributes by synthesizing risk types, SCRM process alignment, and sustainability linkages, while identifying future research potential in BCT-enabled Agriculture 4.0 and food distribution systems amid rising global uncertainties. The findings offer both conceptual insights and practical guidance for integrating BCT into resilient and inclusive FSC strategies.