Welcome back to the Sustainable Commodities Podcast! In this episode, Barnaby Patchett and Judith Murdoch sit down with entrepreneur, agritech strategist, and regenerative farmer Vighnesha (Vig) Adiga.

Vig brings a uniquely grounded perspective to the sustainability conversation. Splitting his time between lecturing and advising global corporations in Switzerland and virtually managing his own regenerative farm in India, he bridges the disconnect between corporate boardrooms and the farmers working the land.

Vig strips away the industry buzzwords to reveal the harsh financial and emotional realities of transitioning to regenerative agriculture, and explains why current corporate commitments are leaving smallholder farmers behind.

Key Takeaways:

• Virtual Regeneration: How Vig remotely manages his farm in India - a thriving, biodiverse ecosystem of over 3,000 plants!
• The Transition Dip: The 2-to-3-year financial gap farmers face when switching to regenerative practices, and why they cannot shoulder this risk alone.
• The Smallholder Reality: Why corporate supply chain demands are fundamentally misaligned with the realities of the millions of smallholder farmers who produce our food.
• Practical Steps for Corporates: Vig shares five actionable strategies for businesses to genuinely support supply chains, emphasising the need to pay the true cost of production and the importance of real farm visits.

If you want to understand what it takes to implement regenerative agriculture beyond the corporate pledges and marketing spinthis is a must-listen episode.

Useful Links:

• Follow Vig on LinkedIn
• Check out his book: Slow: A Conversation with Speed
• Visit Murdoch Associates and 199 Agency

Hosts Barnaby Patchett and Judith Murdoch catch up on a whirlwind few weeks of back-to-back commodity conferences across the UK, giving their thoughts from events at Chester Zoo and in London.

With no guests this week, it's a direct conversation between the co-hosts as they unpack the latest developments in forest risk commodities discussed at Sustainable Coconut Gathering Europe, Sustainable Palm Oil Dialogue 2026 and the UK Sustainable Commodities Initiative.

Key Discussion Points

• The Sustainable Coconut Gathering Europe: Barnaby gives his thoughts on the Sustainable Coconut Partnership's (SCP) first major European event. He discusses the differences in the standard, and the focus on smallholder finances, aging plantations, and structural supply chain issues. Judith details some of the critical, overlooked social risks inherent to coconut farming, including harvesting hazards and regional worker welfare.
• Sustainable Palm Oil Dialogue (SPOD) 2026: Held at the Chester Zoo under the theme "Resilience in Palm Oil: Thriving in a Turbulent World," the co-hosts dissect the event's biggest themes, from resilience and certification to legislation and smallholder inclusion.
• Shifting the Palm Oil Narrative: Barnaby outlines his experience moderating SPOD's first-ever communications panel, featuring representatives from Ferrero, the Little Soap Company, and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The panel confronted why "palm oil-free" marketing remains successful and called for the industry to move from a defensive position into more proactive comms.
• The Closing of Chester Zoo's Sustainable Palm Oil Communities Program: Judith and Barnaby reflect on the sudden, disappointing news that Chester Zoo is winding down its flagship sustainable community campaign. They deliberate on the broader messaging this sends to the market just as global supply chains face maximum regulatory pressure.
• UK Sustainable Commodities Initiative Update: Judith gives an insider look into the latest Efeca-chaired meeting in London. The update reveals ongoing delays regarding UK domestic regulations for forest risk commodities, issues with funding, and discussion about the direction of travel on palm oil, soya, certification and oleochemicals.

What are your thoughts on how the industry should communicate sustainability to everyday consumers? If you have ideas on keeping local palm oil campaigns alive or want to weigh in on the coconut supply chain, reach out!

Don't forget to like, share, and subscribe to help support the show!

Links

Sustainable Coconut Partnership
Sustainable Palm Oil Dialogue
UK Sustainable Commodities Initiative

One Nine Nine
Murdoch Associates

In this special solo edition of the Sustainable Commodities Podcast, host Barnaby Patchett delivers an honest debrief on the FutureChain 2026 conference. Reflecting on the April event in London, Barnaby cuts through the corporate noise to examine the programme, and look at the hard economic truths driving the sector.

Across both the Regenerative Agriculture and Raw Materials Risk tracks, the overriding message was clear: sustainability is now intrinsically linked to supply chain resilience.

Please note, the opinions expressed in this episode are Barnaby’s – co-host Judith did not attend the event!
Key talking points include:

• Geopolitical Threats: The ongoing conflicts in Iran and Ukraine and the resulting global supply chain vulnerabilities. The Procurement Gap: A panel featuring Mars, Procter & Gamble, and AstraZeneca highlighting the disconnect between sustainability and procurement incentives.
• Regulatory Red Tape: A session featuring the EU Commission and Barnaby’s thoughts on whether new legislation, such as the EUDR and CSDDD, is driving progress or simply creating more administrative burden.
• The Finance Catch-22: The expense of the transition to regenerative agriculture and the challenge of who pays. Farmers need upfront finance to make the change, but investors and corporates demand data and proof of outcomes before they will pay.
• On-the-Ground Success: A standout presentation from Lush and Alowan showcased a successful landscape approach to coconut sourcing in Indonesia. The project was praised for focusing on tangible impact and securing better financial terms for smallholders. A massive thank you to Kisaco Research for organising the event and providing the platform to record these insights.

FutureChain 2026
One Nine Nine
Murdoch Associates