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Primary producers teach each other new farming tricks in FNQ

Banana and sugarcane farmers in Far North Queensland are showing each other how to improve their farming practices to reduce nutrient and sediment loss to waterways, and reduce pesticide use.

DPI&F extension staff from the Natural Heritage Trust funded pilot Reef Extension project have assisted farmers in documenting current practices, and identifying improvements and opportunities to use innovative new practices.

Banana industry

Five producer demonstration sites in Tully and Innisfail demonstrate innovative banana plantation management practices in action. Groups of producers regularly visit these sites to find out how they can improve management practices on their own properties.

Stewart Lindsay, a Reef Extension officer at South Johnstone, Far North Queensland, has worked specifically with the banana industry to reduce their use of fertilisers and pesticides.

“Because of the region’s high annual rainfall (2500–4000 millimetres) and its close proximity to the Great Barrier Reef and world heritage listed Wet Tropics rainforests, local horticultural industries must manage for a number of potential environmental impacts arising from their production systems,” Mr Lindsay said.

“Many banana growers are on the front foot in managing these risks, and help other growers to improve their practices to reduce run-off of pollutants to waterways.”

The demonstration farms apply less nitrogen more often, through a process called fertigation (where fertiliser is applied directly where it is needed via irrigation piping), and have mulched beds and grassed inter-rows to slow the velocity of water running off when it rains.

A software tool called ‘Bananaman’ helps growers keep records of their nutrient management activities on the farm, such as when they apply fertiliser, and in what quantities, and the results of diagnostic testing are used to guide their inputs. Banana growers responsible for one in five hectares of the Far North Queensland industry are now using the tool, which was developed by Mr Lindsay in partnership with producers.

An additional decision support tool for improved nutrient management in banana and sugarcane farming systems, known as ‘SafeGuage for Nutrients’ has also been developed as part of an Australian Government funded project led by Dr Phil Moody at the Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Water. The software tool assesses the risk of nutrient loss to the environment on an individual block basis.

“As a result of the Reef Extension project and research on nutrient management in bananas undertaken by NRW and DPI&F staff, we can tell that banana growers on average use approximately 220 kg per hectare less nitrogen than they did 10 years ago,” Mr Lindsay said.

Sugarcane industry

Nine producer demonstration sites have also been established in the sugarcane industry in the Burdekin region of North Queensland. The owners of the sites have implemented parts of the ‘new farming system’, which includes practices such as controlled traffic, minimum tillage and legume fallow crops–all of which reduce the risk of erosion and nutrient loss to local waterways.

Growers were interested to see changes in soil health resulting from their practices, so a series of simple field based tests were carried out to look at the physical, chemical and biological properties of the soils and their response to changes in farming systems. These tests were a field-based indicator of soil health trends that could then be used as an extension tool to engage and encourage other growers to make changes to their farming system.

Field days and farm walks were held throughout the growing season to show other growers the benefits of adopting the new farming system. Growers were able to see different types of legume fallows growing such as soybeans, mungbeans, and cowpeas, minimum tillage planting operations and controlled traffic systems.

DPI&F Reef Extension Officer, Rob Milla, said that by having the growers in the paddock looking at improved farming practices, and presenting data to show an improvement in physical, biological and chemical properties of the soil, they were immediately able to see the benefits of implementing these practices.

“Around 40% of the planted area in the region has now adopted a minimum tillage planting system, and there is significantly increased interest in the adoption of controlled traffic systems,” Rob said.

“Due to a late harvest and wet season rains over the last two years, the areas of legume fallows have reduced, but many growers plan to grow these crops when seasonal conditions improve.”

The Reef Extension project links with activities undertaken by Terrain NRM and the Burdekin Dry Tropics NRM.

This activity contributes to Reef Plan Action B1.

Last reviewed 25 June 2008

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