Consumers can scan quick response (QR) codes with a smartphone camera to trace the origins of agricultural products sold at a supermarket. — VNA/VNS Photo Minh Quyết

HCM CITY — Origin traceability in supply chains is important to ensure transparency and the quality and safety of products and goods, according to the HCM City Department of Science and Technology.

The department has organised an event seeking solutions to develop a product traceability system to improve its management and control over merchandise quality in the city.

The traceability of products and goods helps increase the prestige of a business and consumer trust. This system is being implemented nationwide, it said.

However, data collection, storage, and sharing on this matter cannot meet the city’s requirements because the data are not under the control of state agencies, nor are they integrated into the national traceability e-portal.

Therefore, the department wants to order capable IT units to develop traceability software to support businesses during product manufacturing and circulation processes.

Suitable software pieces, making good use of advanced technologies like Blockchain, AI, IoT and Big Data, should comply with national traceability standards and related legal regulations.

They should allow information to be declared in real time but not be changed without authorisation, and ensure data safety and security.

The software items must be upgraded regularly, linked to other traceability systems of businesses, and flexibly integrated to the National Traceability e-Portal.

They should have a user-friendly interface for people to easily input data, and a warning function for goods of low quality, safety, and hygiene.

The traceability data should be stored, owned, and managed by the city.

Nguyễn Thị Kim Huệ, deputy director of the Department of Science and Technology, said that in 2019, the Prime Minister approved a project on applying and managing a traceability system, which includes developing and operating an information management system for product traceability in HCM City.

The system must be able to connect to other traceability systems of businesses, and be flexibly integrated to the National Traceability e-Portal.

Therefore, the department will collect ideas from scientists and businesses to develop the most suitable information management system for product traceability in the city.

It has also sought opportunities to cooperate with academia, universities, and businesses for the mission of developing AI-based applications for State management tasks. — VNS