COVID-19 Crisis Proves the Time for Innovation Is Now

History has shown us that innovation is often born of crisis. At the onset of the global pandemic brought on by COVID-19 industry leaders knew that massive changes were forthcoming.  The months long lockdowns that resulted as countries fought to control the spread of the virus exposed many gaps in supply chain management. As we continue to grapple with the long-term effects and the increased scrutiny of each step in the supply chain, we’ve come to realize that traceability was the missing link.  Though the concept is not new, the debilitating effects COVID-19 has had on the global economy has shown that the development and expansion of traceability programs and services are a necessity rather than a luxury.

Understanding this need the Australian government continues its Traceability Grants Programme which committed to invest $5m USD to “support projects that enhance agricultural supply chain traceability systems”.  This includes projects such as the University of Tasmania’s development of a cloud-based traceability app specifically for Australian fruit sold in China.  Another exciting project is led by FreshChain Systems which is taking the integration of new technologies and recent demands for supply chain visibility a step further by creating an advanced blockchain traceability system.  

As we continue to navigate the new landscapes revealed by our changing industry we can look forward to exciting and necessary innovations to make our world a little safer.