The global blockchain market is expected to grow rapidly, reaching USD 797.1 billion by 2032, thereby increasing interest in its application for improving efficiency, transparency, and sustainability in supply chains. Despite this potential, empirical evidence on blockchain adoption in emerging economies, particularly with respect to sustainability outcomes, remains sparse. This study examines the key drivers of blockchain adoption in agri-food supply chains and its impact on operational efficiency, supply chain transparency, and sustainability performance. A quantitative research approach was employed, with primary data collected from 265 agri-food businesses across India using structured surveys. Structural equation modelling was used to examine the relationships between adoption determinants and post-adoption performance outcomes. The findings reveal that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and facilitating conditions significantly influence blockchain adoption, while social influence exerts a comparatively weaker effect. Furthermore, blockchain adoption significantly enhances operational efficiency, supply chain transparency, and sustainability performance. By extending the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) to empirically position sustainability as a post-adoption outcome, this study provides evidence of blockchain’s integrated efficiency–transparency–sustainability effect in the agri-food sector. The proposed framework offers a theoretically grounded and practically relevant roadmap for blockchain-enabled sustainable transformation in emerging-economy agri-food supply chains.
Shah et al. (Thu,) studied this question.