Blockchain Solution for Halal Certification and Food Security During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Covid-19 pandemic outbreak caused massive disruptions globally impacting border closure and lockdowns across all industries including the food industry. The Muslim community was not spared, with challenges in Halal validation/certification, from food security, supply chain and to proving a sustainable eco-system. Blockchain provides a digital tool to supplement a sustainable Halal validation, certification, and auditing of food from farm to fork. This is especially important, as the pandemic has shifted Muslim consumers to move online which created new challenges for the Halal authorities to support the Muslim community. Using a case study, Netnography was applied to qualitatively explore ‘Big Data’ from a current blockchain on the information of halal consumer behaviour during the pandemic. This study suggests that during Covid-19 lockdown and current pandemic circumstances, Halal consumers have shifted to greater online know-how. This crisis has highlighted a need for Halal issuing authorities to adopt new technologies, such as blockchain to provide better decision making for Muslim consumers in relation to Halal food.