TRACE-IT
TRansparent AgriFood Chain for Ethical and Innovative Traceability
Overview
The challenge
The TRACE-IT project addresses major challenges in the European food industry, focusing on high-risk commodities like cocoa and coffee. It aims to ensure compliance with EU regulations such as the EUDR and CSDDD by enabling full traceability and sustainability verification across global supply chains.
The project also tackles the need to balance regulatory requirements with rising consumer demand for transparency, especially among younger generations, while safeguarding data privacy under GDPR and addressing issues like data fragmentation, lack of interoperability, and low engagement from small-scale producers.
Users/Testers
2 companies with 3 cooperatives.
The solution
TRACE-IT aims to develop a transparent and ethical agri-food supply chain, focusing on high-risk commodities like cocoa and coffee. It supports the European food industry in complying with strict EU Green Deal regulations, such as the EUDR and CSDDD, by enabling in-depth traceability and supply chain data collection.
The system architecture includes a presentation layer (with Trusty Backoffice and Public Product Page), a business logic layer (handling data storage, ERP/IoT integration, and transformation), and a blockchain layer for data certification and immutability. A key feature is integration with the FOODITY DataU, enabling GDPR-compliant data sharing between cooperatives and companies, with consent managed and recorded on blockchain.
Existing digital tools and updated apps empower farmers to collect farm-level data, while companies can verify and communicate sustainability using new data upload services and modules. The system also incorporates market and consumer preference analysis, LCA for environmental impact, and strong data rights protections. Ultimately, TRACE-IT enables secure, compliant data flows from farm to consumer, aiming for a demonstrated operational system at TRL 7.
Users/Testers
2 companies with 3 cooperatives.
Members
Italy
Italy
Citizen Engagement
TRACE-IT actively involves citizens — mainly small-scale farmers, cooperatives, and consumers — to create a transparent, citizen-centered food system. For consumers, activities include market research, preference studies, and educational content development, engaging at least 2,000 survey participants and 500 in co-design processes. For farmers and cooperatives, the project supports data ownership and GDPR-compliant sharing, engaging at least 3 cooperatives covering 500 farmers across two countries. Activities include feasibility consultations, co-design of data tools, offline app development, and LCA impact sharing. The solution is tested with these stakeholders to ensure usability, compliance, and transparency.
DataU and FOODITY components
DataU was used for geolocation data sharing as requested by the EUDR (Reg.UE 2023/1115).
Results and achievements
Tangible improvements
Tangible improvements
TRACE-IT delivers tangible improvements including increased consumer awareness of product sustainability through educational content via QR-code interactions; behavioral changes driven by greater transparency and tailored information; efficiency gains in data collection via easy-to-use, offline-capable apps for farmers and cooperatives; and improved data use through GDPR-compliant sharing, blockchain certification, and integration with ERP systems, enabling informed decision-making and regulatory compliance across the supply chain.
Outputs produced
Launched EUDR CC app with Geolocation Data Collection and Surveys capabilities and implemented QR-Code for data and products.
Impact indicators
Acquisition of knowledge related to the analysis of major European markets for cocoa and coffee products within physical and online sales channels. More than 1.500 references collected in 2 countries (Italy, Germany) enabled the identification of major key factors for price explanation and influencing food-related habits.
Feedback from users
We see user adoption in the origin countries, but also users that are interested in the QR-Code and related information.
Social/environmental/economic impact
Social impact: TRACE-IT promotes inclusion by engaging small-scale farmers and cooperatives, empowering them through digital tools and data sovereignty. It enhances consumer trust and awareness via transparent product information and education on sustainability.
Environmental impact: By enabling compliance with the EUDR and integrating Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodologies, the project supports deforestation-free supply chains and environmental footprint reduction, contributing to climate-smart food systems.
Economic impact: TRACE-IT improves operational efficiency, reduces compliance costs, and opens market opportunities for sustainable products. It supports fair value distribution and strengthens the competitiveness of EU agri-food businesses.
Materials and links
Alignment with FOODITY
TRACE-IT aligns closely with FOODITY’s goals by promoting data sovereignty through GDPR-compliant mechanisms that give farmers and cooperatives control over their data, including consent management and blockchain-based transparency. It fosters citizen engagement by involving both consumers and producers in co-design, testing, and feedback processes. The solution advances food ethics by supporting fair, traceable, and sustainable practices across high-risk commodities like cocoa and coffee. Additionally, TRACE-IT enhances transparency with verifiable product information accessible via QR codes, empowering consumers to make informed choices while ensuring companies meet ethical and regulatory standards.
Lessons and recommendations
Lessons learned
Key lessons learned from TRACE-IT’s development and deployment include the importance of user-centered design, as low digital literacy among farmers and cooperatives requires simple, offline-capable tools. Gradual onboarding and co-design improved adoption and usability. The integration of data sovereignty principles showed that trust and legal clarity are crucial for data sharing. Engaging consumers early helped tailor transparency features to their expectations. Finally, aligning technical architecture with regulatory requirements (e.g. EUDR, GDPR) from the start proved essential to ensure compliance and long-term scalability.
Recommendations
The importance of engaging users to avoid useless development. Prioritize data-rights and sovreignity in order to avoid GDPR-issues.
Main benefit of participating in the FOODITY Programme
The main benefit of participating in the FOODITY Programme is the opportunity to co-develop and scale citizen-centered food data solutions within a trusted ecosystem that prioritizes data sovereignty, transparency, and ethical innovation.