Moscow Farmers Apply for City Weekend Fairs Through Ethereum-Based Blockchain

Moscow Government has launched blockchain for weekend fairs to secure transparency in vendor selection process. Now farmers will apply for a free trading spot through blockchain platform.   

Moscow, August 29 – Moscow authorities have announced a pilot project to grant farmers a free trading spot at weekend fairs through Ethereum-based blockchain. The entire dataset is publicly viewable, transparent and available for download. In that case, submission time can be confirmed, while the application cannot be deleted or altered by someone once it is submitted.

The spots are absolutely free of rental fee, granted on a first-come, first-served basis. Farmers from all the corners of the country and beyond can participate on equal terms. A free trading spot eliminates the necessity to raise prices on the products so they remain affordable for the visitors. The farmers can sell agricultural and food products that must be produced in Russia or on the territory of other member states of the Eurasian Economic Union (Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan).

Ethereum-based blockchain to make the reviewing process fully transparent for every farmer. Traditionally over 20.000 participants from various regions submit their applications through mos.ru portal. Now Ethereum-based blockchain allows authorities to make the reviewing process based on a smart contract fully transparent for every farmer: every application is to be processed through blockchain and become a node in a peer-to-peer network. Most importantly, the database includes the application status. Anyone can set up a blockchain node in one click to monitor reviewing process through custom-based decentralized application (DApp).

Since the switch to blockchain-based system 13.000 applications have been submitted. Every bidding period shows high interest and demand. The number of trading spots is limited – on a regular basis in total there are 2.736 trading spots available at 100 weekend fairs.

Andrey Belozerov, Strategy and Innovations Advisor to CIO of Moscow highlighted: “We often hear complaints from farmers on the process how the applications are reviewed. We believe that farmers should have a transparent system to see why their application is declined or approved. Blockchain is to make sure that the process is fully transparent and no one can alter an application. We hope that blockchain will provide full transparency for everyone”.

Since November 2017 Moscow has been actively engaged in blockchain projects. In November blockchain was implemented into e-voting platform Active Citizen that allows citizens to influence city management decisions and urban transformation. The platform connects over 2.1 mln citizens who submitted over 104 mln opinions and participated in over 3600 polls.

In March 2018 Moscow authorities’ launched blockchain-powered digital communication service that enables holding online meetings and polls between neighbors. The service is called Digital Home and operates via blockchain-based platform Active Citizen. The service allows to talk to neighbors anywhere and vote for house management issues online (install a driveway access gates to the years, replace the entrance door, hire a new doorkeeper, etc.).