- Team up with local groups to test blockchain traceability and credit tools for 300 Colombian farmers.
- Farmers use QR codes to track panel crops, sell them transparently, and pay off the loan after harvest.
Ripple has partnered with Colombian Agricultural Technology Company Wëia and venture arm Mercy Corps Ventures to launch a six-month pilot designed to rebuild the farming capital and traceability of Colombian smallholder farmers. The initiative is XRP ledger driven and is set to impact 300 farmers, providing a blockchain-driven supply chain model that can solve long-standing problems in the agricultural sector.
We are excited to launch our latest Ripple Impact Collaboration with @MCSOCIALVENTURE as part of our Unlock Opportunity Initiative. https://t.co/fwzfu6pwxm
In a partnership with Wëia, the pilot will leverage the XRP ledger to test how blockchain traceability will boost 300 revenues…
– Ripple (@ripple) May 15, 2025
This initiative is part of Ripple Impact’s Unlock Opportunity Program, supporting financial inclusion through technology. Mercy Corps Ventures is in a leading position as a partner in the initiative. The gender concentration of initiatives is high. 46% of the farmers involved are women, almost double the Colombian national average of 26%.
Farmers participating in the pilot produce around 240 tonnes of panels each month. This unsleek cane sugar is a very important agricultural product in Colombia. This volume provides an important foundation for testing blockchain potential in supply chain transparency and revenue stabilization.
Farmers take a break – “later payment” model revolutionizes credit access
The program relies on Wëia’s platform developed with XRP ledgers that provide end-to-end tracing from planting to harvest. Buyers will be provided with a QR code for each batch of products to ensure the origin and sustainability level of the product. This system is set up due to the growing need for transparent sourcing practices.
The XRP ledger structure promotes this by enabling a secure, affordable, sustainable record of data. Not only does the traceability system prove the source of production, it also presents farmers with new financial tools, such as the “farm now, after payment” mechanism. Under this arrangement, farmers will obtain inputs during the planting period without immediate payments and use traceability to make the harvest profitable and pay later.
Currently, one of the major issues in Colombia’s rural economy is its lack of financial history and documentation. Approximately 86% of smallholder farmers work informally, and 79% of rural areas either restrict or do not access credit. For this reason, most people receive 70% of the country’s lowest living income.
Monitoring the impact of clear metrics
The initiatives supported by Ripple have set three test goals: One is to determine how traceability information affects the market price of farmers’ produce. The other is to measure retailers’ satisfaction with relying on audited records. The third is how farmers will conclude their formal agreements, including forward contracts with large buyers during the programme.
The pilot also addresses the global issue of food authenticity. Industry sources estimate that food fraud covers up to 10% of global supply, causing losses of up to $50 billion each year. By using an immutable product history, the project prevents fraud and provides a reliable system for stakeholders.
The long-term objective is to apply blockchain with the aim of enhancing farmers’ trust in procuring and expanding the financial inclusion of smallholder farmers. If successful, Colombian pilots could serve as models to expand to other regions with similar challenges.