From targets to traction: why effective farmer engagement will drive sustainability outcomes beyond 2026

Sustainability ambition in food and farming has never been higher. Targets are set. Roadmaps published. Timelines agreed. But as we start 2026, the question on everyone’s mind is: how do we make it stick?

At Twig, we work at the coalface of this challenge - alongside farmers, technical teams, supply chain leaders and sustainability strategists. What we see, time and again, is not a lack of commitment. It’s a gap between intention and implementation. 

And that gap? It’s where better engagement lives.

That’s the focus of our latest white paper: From Targets to Traction: Why Effective Farmer Engagement Will Drive Sustainability Outcomes Beyond 2026.

This is a paper about acceleration, not criticism. It recognises the progress already made. But it also makes the case that the next big gains won’t come from new technologies or tighter targets - they’ll come from smarter, more strategic engagement with farmers.

Here’s what we unpack:

• Why farmer engagement is now a strategic capability, not just a comms bolt-on
• How trust, tone and long-term consistency influence outcomes
• What effective, partnership-led engagement looks like in practice
• How to build momentum without ripping up what’s already working

Across the sector, plans are being refreshed and programmes re-evaluated. We hope this paper offers a useful lens - and a practical nudge - for conversations about what’s needed next.

Let’s stop thinking of farmer engagement as the soft stuff. It’s fast becoming the sharp edge of sustainability delivery.