Unfolding the role of metaverse in agri‐food supply chain security: current scenario and future perspectives

Abstract

SummarySince its inception, the metaverse has evolved drastically and opened up many opportunities for many stakeholders, including individuals and businesses. The agri‐food supply chain is currently starting to incorporate metaverse technology. Retailers and prominent companies use this technology to achieve particular goals, such as ensuring traceability or boosting sales and reputation. Concurrently, there is an opportunity for the metaverse to affect food chain performance more broadly. Even so, the literature provides little evidence for this effect and primarily focuses on specific indicators, leaving little knowledge about it. By exploring the rapidly evolving field of metaverse technologies and their potential impacts on the security of agri‐food supply chains, this study aims to fill this knowledge gap. The study aims to improve collaboration and communication throughout the agri‐food supply chain by providing a structured framework covering a variety of metaverse technologies, from the development of immersive virtual worlds to the deployment of blockchain for traceability. The findings offer valuable insights, particularly for researchers, decision makers, and industry partners who aim to better comprehend the potential benefits and challenges related to integrating metaverse solutions into the agri‐food industry. The study concludes with recommendations for future research directions and strategic factors that could assist in ensuring the effective adoption of metaverse technologies and the security and resilience of agri‐food supply chains.