Multi-stakeholder approaches for tackling wicked problems in global agri-food value chains: an integrative review of the cocoa case

Global agricultural value chains (GAVCs) face persistent wicked problems (WPs) (e.g., social inequality, environmental degradation, and market volatility) amplified by structural asymmetries and fragmented global governance. This integrative review examines how collective action is mobilized to address these systemic challenges, focusing on the cocoa sector as an emblematic and well-documented case. Drawing from interdisciplinary literature, we develop an analytical and critical typology of existing collective approaches (e.g., cooperatives, partnerships, multi-stakeholder initiatives) and analyse their governance features, actor configurations, and embedded tensions. The review builds a conceptual framework to assess their potential and limitations to address WPs under structural constraints, offering insights to rethink collective sustainability strategies in GAVCs.