Desert feed involved hollowed-out coconut (6)
I believe the answer is:
defect
'desert' is the definition.
(I know that desert can be written as defect)
'feed involved hollowed-out coconut' is the wordplay.
'involved' indicates an anagram (involved can mean confusing or complex).
'hollowed out' says to hollow out the word (remove centre letters).
'coconut' with its middle removed is 'ct'.
'feed' is an anagram of 'defe'.
'defe'+'ct'='DEFECT'
(Other definitions for defect that I've seen before include "Shortcoming" , "Flaw - change sides" , "Lack" , "Desert and join the other side" , "Abandon one's country in favour of an opposing one" .)