Blockchain Technology in Humanitarian Logistics Enhancing Transparency, Accountability and Real-Time Decision Making
Mehmet Emin Aktas, Selin Nur Eroğlu · Advances in computational intelligence and robotics book series · 2025
This chapter explores the transformative potential of blockchain technology in humanitarian logistics, focusing on its ability to enhance transparency, accountability, and decentralized decision-making. Traditional aid supply chains often struggle with inefficiencies, information asymmetry, and limited traceability—challenges that blockchain addresses through secure, real-time, and tamper-proof data infrastructure. The integration of blockchain with digital identity systems, smart contracts, IoT, and AI enables more adaptive, ethical, and inclusive aid delivery. Case studies, including Oxfam's UnBlocked Cash program and blockchain-based cash transfers in Ukraine, illustrate both the opportunities and the practical barriers to implementation. The chapter concludes with strategic policy recommendations aligned with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 8, 16, and 17), emphasizing the importance of cross-sector collaboration, digital capacity-building, and ethical governance.