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Literature Review Special Issue Palm Oil in Health and Technology
Barriers and opportunities of blockchain implementation for the circular economy in palm oil: a review
Loso Judijanto
Received: January 20, 2026 | Published: February 4, 2026
Citation: Judijanto L. Barriers and opportunities of blockchain implementation for the circular economy in palm oil: A review. Open Access J Sci. 2026;9(1):18-29. DOI: 10.15406/oajs.2026.09.00284
Abstract
As digital technologies become more embedded in sustainability-oriented supply chains, blockchain has emerged in the literature as a viable facilitator of circular economy– related practices, particularly in resource-intensive agricultural sectors such as palm oil. Despite growing scholarly attention, existing studies remain fragmented in explaining the conditions under which blockchain can effectively support the implementation of the circular economy in palm oil supply chains. This study aims to systematically identify and synthesize the key barriers and opportunities associated with blockchain adoption for circular economy applications in the palm oil sector, as documented in recent peer-reviewed research. The study is conducted using a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) design, supported by a transparent and reproducible screening protocol. Scientific articles were retrieved exclusively from the Scopus database using a structured keyword strategy. From an initial pool of 830 records, a series of inclusion and exclusion criteria, covering thematic relevance, publication period (2021–2025), language, and open-access status, yielded a final sample of 29 peer-reviewed articles. The analysis employed thematic synthesis to reveal recurrent themes and dominant analytical constructs across the included studies. The findings reveal five central themes: blockchain-enabled traceability and transparency, technological and infrastructural readiness, governance and regulatory alignment, economic feasibility, and stakeholder engagement and capacity building. The review indicates that blockchain offers significant opportunities to enhance traceability, resource efficiency, and coordination in palm oil supply chains, while adoption is constrained by infrastructural limitations, cost considerations, governance uncertainty, and human capacity gaps. In conclusion, blockchain functions as a context-dependent enabler rather than a standalone solution for implementing the circular economy. Future research is encouraged to pursue longitudinal and comparative studies that assess real-world impacts, governance models, and inclusive adoption strategies across diverse palm oil supply chain contexts.
Keywords: blockchain, circular economy, palm oil, supply chain sustainability, systematic literature review
©2026 Judijanto. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and build upon your work non-commercially.