The fourth meeting of the W.E. B.E.S.T. project

On September 26-27, 2024, the Department of Economics, Management, and Institutions at the University of Naples “Federico II” hosted the fourth meeting of the W.E. B.E.S.T. project “Wine EVOO – Blockchain Et Smart ContracT”. The meeting was organized by Professor Sergio Locoratolo, head of the Naples research unit, and Dr. Giuseppe Farina, research fellow.

On September 26, a seminar titled “Blockchain, Smart Contract, Agrifood: New Technologies and the Wine and Olive Oil Industries” took place, where the development of technology in the agricultural sector was approached in an interdisciplinary manner. Professor Paolo Masi, emeritus of the University of Naples “Federico II”, specifically addressed the relationship between distributed ledger technologies and food safety; Professor Nadia Di Paola, associate professor at the University of Naples “Federico II”, discussed the relationship between blockchain and the performance of agri-food companies; Professor Daniela Di Sabato, full professor at the University of Naples “Federico II”, provided a legal framework for smart contracts operating on blockchain; Dr. Enrico Locascio Aliberti, researcher at the University of Naples “Federico II”, illustrated the topic of “smart” insurance in the wine and olive oil sectors; and Professor Antonio Di Biase, associate professor at the University of Foggia, presented the prospects for protecting industrial property in the wine and olive oil sectors through the use of blockchain.

On September 27, the universities participating in this PRIN project (UNIFG, UNIVPM, UNIPA, UNICA, UNINA, UNIMOL) collectively reviewed the research conducted, outlining further developments within the operational scope of the project.

Specifically, for the activity related to evaluating the application opportunities of blockchain technology (BCT) in the olive and wine sectors, the methodology of multiple case studies – involving various companies both nationally and internationally – was presented by Professor Antonino Galati, full professor and local coordinator of W.E. B.E.S.T. project at the University of Palermo, along with Ph.D., Dr. Nino Adamashvili, a research fellow at the same University. In this regard, the “Injective” blockchain platform was introduced, analyzed to understand the technical advantages it offers, along with international case studies (Costaflores – Argentina), which will be included in a final report summarizing the obstacles and benefits arising from the adoption of blockchain in the olive and wine sectors.

Deborah Bentivoglio (UNIVPM) presented the progress made by the Marche Polytechnic University, detailing the preliminary results of two surveys: the first aimed at olive growers, exploring their willingness to adopt blockchain and pay the related costs; the second focused on oil consumers, regarding the acceptance of QR codes on bottles for sale. UNIVPM also reported on the adoption of blockchain in the “Accattoli” winery, which was presented at the EuAWE conference.

The University of Palermo and the Marche Polytechnic University jointly presented the research activities conducting in ongoing year, such as publications and conference participations.

Roberto Tonelli (UNICA) then presented the ongoing activities of the University of Cagliari and the University of Molise. Specifically, the latest developments concerning Blockchain-Based Information Ecosystems (BBIE) were presented, as well as the study of vulnerabilities in smart contracts and the practices required to address them. Several papers on these topics have been drafted, with some already submitted and others in the publication phase. Additionally, the national TrackIt project was introduced: the universities participating in the PRIN have nominated some of the partner companies for the TrackIt blockchain, established by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation to give Italian economic operators a competitive advantage internationally. The BCT interface of the W.E. B.E.S.T. Prin project was also introduced, a parallel blockchain to TrackIt that will host companies not meeting the national project’s requirements (Italian products, access to foreign markets) for product traceability and storytelling.

Finally, Professor Mariantonietta Fiore, along with Ph.D., Dr. Nino Adamashvili and Dr. Maria Rosaria Maschio (UNIFG), presented ongoing activities, notably the creation of podcasts with the assistance of the entire UNIFG team, which will later be distributed to farmers as a starting point for further analysis. The work presented by UNIFG research team members, stemming from activities conducted and in progress within the PRIN project, at conferences including Euawe 2024 (in collaboration with the UNINA group), Ifama 2024, Batumi 2024, Euromed 2024, and Sidea 2024, was also illustrated.

At the end of the meeting, UNIFG, as the Lead Partner and in agreement with the research teams involved in the project, proposed the final activities, including organizing the concluding meeting, nominating some of the partner companies for inclusion in TrackIt, organizing a final project conference (accepting UNINA’s candidacy as the host location), and coordinating the final reporting activities.

Bellow, you can find several photos from the meeting: