Convergence.tech, a Toronto-based tech startup recently finished testing a blockchain-based app that aims to help the Mongolian nomadic herders so they can both track and certify cashmere. We are talking about a supply chain project that was done with a partnership with the UNDP (United Nations Development Program). The system is powered by Backbone, the startup’s traceability platform (ETH-based).
Convergence.tech decided to focus on the herders of cashmere for the pilot because of the fact that many of the workers are faced with income instability and very difficult working conditions. In addition, there is transparency lacking in the entire supply chain used by the fashion industry. It is difficult for customers to know where their products come from when made out of cashmere.
Chami Akmeemana, Convergence.tech CEO, declared:
“The nomadic community is one of immense pride but one with a volatile and unstable income. Leveraging blockchain technology within the transformation of the cashmere industry can provide numerous benefits for Mongolian herders, buyers, and sellers alike.”
Sustainable Cashmere Tracked Through A Mobile App
Because of the already mentioned problem with transparency, the startup designed an Android mobile application that allows the farmers to register cashmere bales. The packing slips and bales are equipped with ID tags (radio-frequency) so that data can be tracked. This helps with knowing exactly where products are located.
The Backbone technology is combined with tracking data so that users can see exactly where the cashmere goes during the entire production lifecycle. At the same time, users can easily view the actual environmental impact data that is generated. This guarantees ethical raw cashmere sourcing.
Chami Ameemana went on to say:
“Our learnings are pretty significant on this, and that’s why everything was around watching from afar. But now that that’s completed, we’ve been going around the world. We were in Singapore and Bangkok a couple of weeks ago presenting to the UN, USAID (the United States Agency for International Development), the World Bank, et cetera. So now we’re going to start seeing a lot more applications coming out.”
Convergence.tech was founded in 2018 and already created a land registry that is blockchain-enabled for India’s Haryana state. In addition, the startup started a project in the country of Afghanistan in order to apply blockchain technology in the current police payroll systems.
More projects are expected in the near future for the company as it received an official proposal to do work in the country of Peru.
