Supply chain collaboration for sustainable dairy sector

Purpose: This study examines collaboration among industry stakeholders and how it influences the sustainability of Zimbabwe’s dairy supply chains (DSCs) through practitioners’ perspectives. Design/methodology/approach: Adopting an interpretive paradigm, the study employed purposive sampling to select 25 DSC professionals with extensive experience across different value chain segments. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analysed using ATLAS.ti (version 9.1) following a rigorous thematic analysis approach. Findings/results: Six themes emerged from the analysis: recognition of value chain interdependence, industry knowledge exchange and resource sharing networks, structural and economic power dynamics, resource constraints and input challenges, infrastructure and technical capacity limitations and environmental sustainability and climate resilience. These themes collectively reveal how collaboration operates within Zimbabwe’s dairy sector and the complex factors that influence its effectiveness. Practical implications: The study developed a framework that provides a structured approach for practitioners and policymakers to enhance collaboration by addressing foundational determinants, developing appropriate collaborative mechanisms and measuring multi-dimensional impacts. Findings underscore the need for targeted interventions addressing power asymmetries, prioritising infrastructure development and integrating environmental sustainability initiatives into core business practices. Originality/value: This research extends supply chain collaboration theory by explicating how contextual factors in developing economies shape collaborative capacity and sustainability outcomes. The proposed framework advances theoretical understanding by accounting for structural conditions that determine collaborative possibilities, offering insights applicable to agricultural supply chains in similar resource-constrained environments globally.