Advanced coastal farming systems

About the team

The Coastal Farming Systems team works with sugarcane growers and industry to:

• build capacity within the farming community
• deliver on-ground improvements through research, development and extension
• promote modern farming systems that improve productivity and Reef water quality
• show growers, through trials and demonstrations, how productivity can be improved.

We are located in the major sugar cane regions in Queensland, well-positioned to:

• drive improved practice change
• investigate local challenges
• showcase future practice change adoptions.

We work with all farm sizes, from small to large operations.

What we do

The project looks at sugarcane farming as a farming system and provides a wide range of advice on how to increase productivity and input use efficiency (IUE).

Working directly with individual growers, as well as the wider industry, our activities include:

• capacity building that supports the adoption of improved practices
• demonstrating improved farming systems through on-ground works and trials
• economic cost-benefit assessment and case studies (through partnership with our economists)
• evaluation of new techniques
• field days and information sessions across all catchments
• pesticide application workshops
• sharing industry knowledge and updated resources
• using mapping to identify poor-performing zones across the farm.

What we've delivered so far

• Advised on pesticide and nutrient applications.
• Built capacity and partnerships with growers and organisations to showcase practice change options.
• Delivered district-specific services applicable to local farming systems and programs that improve soil health.
• Provided information on stackable credit opportunities.
• Worked collaboratively with individual growers and organisations to enhance understanding of the benefits of adopting improved practices across a sugarcane farming system, such as:
  • Sugar Research Australia (SRA)
  • Canegrowers
  • millers
  • productivity boards
  • Natural Resource Management (NRM) groups
  • resellers.

What's next

The project team will develop:

• a range of demonstration sites
• specific tools to improve yields.

Demonstration sites

The project will develop a range of demonstration sites showcasing existing advanced practice and precision-agriculture (PA) options such as:

• controlled traffic
• dual herbicide sprayers
• minimum tillage
• stool zipper
• yield variability mapping.

Through yield and nutrient optimisation, these improved practices and technologies can improve productivity, profitability, and water quality outcomes.

The demonstration sites also help to increase understanding of yield potential, environmental outcomes, and profitability.

Tools and strategies to improve yields

The project team is working to develop specific tools to address yield constraints and input use efficiency (IUE) strategies, including:

• nutrient recommendations based on a zonal approach
• soil-improvement products.

These new tools and strategies enable industry to improve grower profitability while deploying current technologies such as:

• remote sensing
• soil and drainage or weed mapping
• variable-rate fertiliser application.

Environmental outcomes

The project generates environmental outcomes including:

• improvements to Reef water quality
• reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

More information

• Watch helpful videos on Reef water quality.