Digitizing the 1st Mile with Blockchain, AI, and Self Sovereign Identity Connecting Coffee Farmers from Field to 1st Sip in Sustainable Supply Chains with Farmer Connect (CEO, Michael Chrisment)
- S1E52
- 22:24
- February 1st 2021
Think about the journey of a coffee bean from East Africa to the consumer. Thousands of miles away in the 1 sip to field wrapped in a complex, and often unsustainable, inequitable supply chain. There are 25 million people living in the coffee ecosystem, and 2.5 billion coffee drinkers worldwide, and that number is expected to 2-3X in coming years.
With little transparency and traceability, it's still a challenge for consumers to validate the sustainability and ethics of that 1st sip of morning brew and also ensure that farmers are receiving fair wages and decent acceptable working conditions. Data ownership down to farmer and privacy are important as we digitalize the first mile; farmers and owners should own data and should benefit from monetization of information they catalyze. What if there was a way to humanize consumption through technology, putting empathy at the center of the solution and supply chains?
Meet Farmer Connect. In episode 52, host Sheri Hinish chats with Farmer Connect's CEO Michael Chrisment about building a sustainable ecosystem using technology that connect farmers and consumers, even whereby consumers can tip the farmer responsible for a good cup of joe. How cool is this!?!?!
Episode 52 unpacks an inspiring mission with Farmer Connect, an IBM Blockchain partner, who urges us to think about the legacy we are leaving our children and how we can use technology to address economic empowerment, climate change, and biodiversity in the world we share. They think tech should bring people together, make the world smaller, more inclusive, empower the individual and small business while reducing costs and inefficiencies for global enterprises. How does it happen? Using several emerging technologies, such as blockchain, self-sovereign identity, and artificial intelligence. Questions we chat about include:
- Coffee Supply Chain – why do we need a solution like FarmerConnect? Can you share a bit about the unmet need Farmer Connect fills?
- Lifecycle journey in traceability for supply chain provenance– how does it work?
- A huge tenet of Farmer Connect is inclusion – transforming the lives of smallholders by empowering ESG. Tell me more…
- Values – the world needs more empathy. Why is this at the heart of your solution and how do you prioritize your values in partnerships/business?
To learn more about Farmer Connect, visit https://www.farmerconnect.com/
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Supply Chain Revolution
The Supply Chain Revolution Podcast is where global leaders in sustainability, AI, and supply chain reimagine the future of business. Hosted by Sheri Hinish, the Supply Chain Queen, this award-winning show explores bold ideas at the intersection of supply chain, circular economy, innovation, technology, ESG, and leadership.
Each episode features candid conversations with C-suite executives, investors, academics, policymakers, and entrepreneurs who are shaping how organizations create value in a rapidly changing world. From decarbonization and digital transformation to diversity, equity, and inclusion, we unpack strategies that accelerate progress and challenge the status quo.
Listeners gain:
- Actionable insights on AI, data, blockchain, robotics, and sustainable finance
- Big ideas in circularity, climate tech, and responsible compute
- Inspiration from stories of leaders driving transformation across industries
The Supply Chain Revolution podcast host has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, Forbes, The Economist, and ESG Today, and recognized as a Top 100 Leadership Podcast. It is the go-to resource for professionals and change makers looking to stay ahead of the curve, strengthen leadership, and shape a more sustainable future.
Sheri Hinish, known globally as the Supply Chain Queen, is an executive strategist, board advisor, and award-winning sustainability leader. She has been named among the Top 100 Women in Supply Chain, a multi-year “Pro to Know”, and one of the Top 250 Global Leaders in Sustainability.
Join the revolution—because supply chains can save the planet, save lives, and build a better world.
Learn more at www.supplychainqueen.com
Keywords: supply chain podcast, sustainability podcast, circular economy, climate tech, AI, ESG, innovation, leadership, digital transformation, diversity and inclusion
Learn more at supplychainqueen.com
My purpose is to make a meaningful impact for the clients, colleagues, partners, and communities I serve. I have spent my career at the intersection of supply chain, sustainability and innovation in large-scale transformation. I’d love to walk with you on your journey.
I'm the Founder and Host of the Supply Chain Revolution podcast. In my day role, I currently serve as the Global Consulting Sustainability Services, Technology + Ecosystems Leader at EY serving across sectors, alliances, sustainability solutions, and digital ventures. I formerly led Sustainability Services + Alliances at IBM with a passion for sustainable supply chain, circularity, and hardening emerging sustainability tech use cases.
Colleagues and clients affectionately call me the nickname “Supply Chain Queen.” I'm recognized as a trusted partner that F500 companies consistently leverage for connected transformation, end-to-end digital supply chain, purpose-driven leadership, and disruptive thinking in embedding sustainability and emerging innovation in transformations.
Recent awards include: Top 250 leaders in Sustainability (2025), Leaders in Excellence, Supply & Demand Chain Executive (2025), Top 100 Women in Sustainability and Supply Chain (2024), Top 50 influencer in Sustainability by Onalytica (2023), 100 Women in 2023 by March8 Magazine, the 2021 #1 Supply Chain Leader by Supply Chain Digital, a 2022, 2021, 2020 & 2019 Supply & Demand Chain Executive "Pro to Know," the "People's Choice 2020 Global Woman in Supply Chain Leader,” and a Corporate Vision Excellence award in 2020.
I’m a Rebel who loves creating, building, and bringing out the best in people, helping to grow high-performance teams. I've made a career in turn-around and scaling high growth opportunities (product, solutions, infrastructure for practice areas and alliances), simplifying the complex, rethinking paradigms for F500 clients, mainly in CPG, Financial Services, Retail, Advanced Manufacturing, Chemicals and Energy.
I am a graduate lecturer in Sustainability at the University of Arkansas and have a Masters from Harvard University with emphasis in Sustainability + Liberal Arts. I hold 2 credentials from Rutgers University with highest distinction (Beta Gamma Sigma), an MS in Supply Chain Management, and a Mini-MBA in Digital Supply Chain. I also have a BS in Business, Supply Chain Management (Summa Cum Laude) from the University of Maryland. I hold an IBM Industry Academy Expert designation (in Consumer), Project Management Professional (PMP), and Lean Six Sigma Greenbelt.
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