SENASA
The company
SENASA (Servicio Nacional de Sanidad y Calidad Agroalimentaria) is an Argentine governmental agency responsible for ensuring the health and quality of agricultural and food products. Its primary functions include regulating, controlling, and supervising the production, processing, and commercialization of agricultural goods to meet national and international safety and quality standards. SENASA plays a crucial role in preventing and controlling diseases in animals and plants, ensuring food safety, and facilitating the export and import of agricultural products by certifying their health and quality. Its activities help maintain the integrity of Argentina's agricultural sector and protect consumer health both domestically and internationally.
The Challenge
The primary challenge for SENASA is the high level of fraud in the phytosanitary certificates issued through the CERTPOV system, undermining confidence in the certification system and jeopardizing the quality and safety of exported agricultural products. Additionally, the high cost of printing these certificates on security paper represents a significant financial burden for the agency and producers. The physical distribution of documents is also a significant challenge, as each transaction requires the printing and sending of a physical certificate, complicating logistics and increasing the risk of document loss or delay. These challenges highlight the need for more efficient and secure solutions for the issuance and management of phytosanitary certificates, reducing fraud, printing costs, and logistical issues.
Our Approach
We developed an API to extract phytosanitary certificates from the CERTPOV system and stamp them onto the blockchain network, allowing SENASA to fully digitize the certification process and make it 100% secure. By digitizing the certificates, they can now be sent electronically via email, enhancing the speed and efficiency of document distribution. With our solution, the traceability of a grain container, which can be sold multiple times, is now centrally and securely managed through the blockchain. We also developed a web portal where anyone receiving a digital phytosanitary certificate can validate it through the public SENASA website, ensuring transparency and easy verification of certificate authenticity. Overall, our solution not only secured the certification process but also streamlined the workflow, reduced fraud, and facilitated quicker and more reliable communication of necessary documents, contributing to a more efficient and sustainable supply chain.
Results
With our solution, SENASA achieved a 100% reduction in fraud for all digital documents, ensuring the integrity and trustworthiness of the certification process. Additionally, the printing of security paper was reduced by over 50%, significantly lowering operational costs associated with paper usage. The logistical costs and waiting times associated with the physical distribution of documents were completely eliminated, improving efficiency and reliability in the handling and processing of phytosanitary certificates. Furthermore, by digitizing the certification process, the carbon footprint was significantly reduced, contributing to the transformation of the supply chain into a more sustainable and environmentally friendly system. These results underscore the success of our solution in addressing key challenges and promoting sustainable practices within SENASA's operations.
