Managing Agribusiness Systems in Tropical Regions: Sustainability, Innovation, and Socioecological Trade-Offs

Abstract

Background: Tropical agribusiness systems operate in regions where agricultural production is closely linked to biodiversity, climate variability, land-use change, and rural livelihoods. Unlike agribusiness in more controlled or temperate settings, tropical agribusiness often develops in landscapes where productivity goals intersect with forest conservation, smallholder welfare, infrastructure gaps, and community-based resource management. These conditions make management decisions more complex because economic gains may also have ecological and social consequences.
Purpose: This study reviews and synthesizes the current literature on the management of agribusiness systems in tropical regions, with specific attention to sustainability integration, innovation and digital transformation, value chain coordination, and socio-ecological trade-offs.
Design/methodology/approach: A systematic literature review was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 framework. Searches were performed in Scopus and Web of Science for peer-reviewed publications published between 2000 and 2026. Initially, 262 records were identified. After duplicate removal, title and abstract screening, and full-text assessment, 33 eligible articles were included in the final synthesis. The studies were analyzed thematically across four areas: sustainability measurement, innovation and digitalization, value chain coordination, and socio-ecological governance.
Findings/Results: The review shows that sustainability assessment has become an important entry point for managerial decision-making in tropical agribusiness, especially in relation to infrastructure, financing, technology use, and environmental risk. Innovation and digital tools can improve productivity and coordination; however, their benefits depend on local capacity, institutional support, and access to basic infrastructure. Evidence also shows that value chain coordination matters because farmers, cooperatives, firms, financial institutions, and public agencies often work under fragmented arrangements. Socio-ecological trade-offs are most visible in land use, conservation, technology access, and the recognition of local knowledge. Across the reviewed studies, weak institutions, unequal access to technology, poor actor coordination, and limited community participation are recurring barriers.
Conclusion: Sustainable tropical agribusiness cannot rely solely on technology or productivity improvement. This requires management approaches that connect sustainability metrics, innovation capacity, value chain coordination, and participatory governance. The review suggests that tropical agribusiness systems become more resilient when ecological safeguards, local knowledge, and institutional support are considered together in management decisions.
Originality/value (State of the art): This review offers a focused synthesis of tropical agribusiness literature by connecting sustainability assessment, innovation practices, value chain governance, and socioecological trade-off management. This study contributes to future research agendas for building resilient, inclusive, and sustainable agribusiness systems in tropical regions.

Keywords: tropical agribusiness, sustainability, innovation, socio-ecological systems, governance