Stakeholder-Driven Sustainable Development Goals in Farmers’ Cooperatives: A Qualitative Approach

The critical need for a robust methodological approach to investigate the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in farmers’ cooperatives from a stakeholder perspective is addressed in this study. A qualitative interview guide has been developed, integrating the SDG framework with Stakeholder Theory, Sustainable Livelihoods Framework, Institutional Theory, and Vertical Coordination Theory. The methodology involves a comprehensive literature review to inform the development of theoretically grounded interview questions. The resulting guide comprises 15 stakeholder-focused questions designed to capture the complex interactions among diverse stakeholders in implementing SDGs within farmers’ cooperatives. This research advances the theoretical understanding of sustainable development in the context of farmers’ cooperatives and provides a foundation for future empirical investigations. The study's novelty lies in its multi-theoretical approach and focus on the understudied context of farmers’ cooperatives in developing regions. The developed interview guide is a valuable tool for researchers exploring SDGs and stakeholder dynamics in farmers’ cooperatives, with further refinement to be achieved through expert consultation and pilot testing. This work contributes to the broader discourse on SDG localization and offers practical implications for policymakers and cooperative managers engaged in sustainable rural development.