Farming systems and production management

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://elibrary2.sugarresearch.com.au/handle/11079/13844

Research outcomes: Growers and harvesters benefit from the ongoing research in productivity improvement, production management and agronomical techniques. Developed technologies and management practices that enhance productivity and demonstrate a high rate of return on investment.

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Review of current and future investments in high density planting : SRDC Final report
(SRDC, 1999) Munro, AJ; Leslie, JK; Tudroszen, NJ
The BSES is presently confronting the issue of how to facilitate the adoption of HOP as a commercially productive system. Relevant preliminary project proposals have been submitted for SRDC funding. This consultancy assesses these proposals in the light of identified uncertainties and views developed on the best strategy for implementation.
Investment analyses for the Managing Climate Variability Program
(2007) Agtrans Research and Consulting; AGEC Consulting
The Managing Climate Variability Program (MCVP) managed by Land and Water Australia (LWA) is scheduled to be completed by June 2007. In accord with LWA policy, the impact of the program required assessment and the impacts subjected to a cost benefit analysis (CBA). At the same time, prospective analyses were required to demonstrate potential benefits from new investment in a second phase of MCVP that would commence later in 2007. Four impact analyses were carried out, all including a cost benefit analysis. The first two were analyses of historical investments. The second two were prospective investments that could be considered for future investment by MCVP. The four analyses were: 1. Investment Performance of the Managing Climate Variability Program 2. Example of Analysis of a Natural Resource Management Impact 3. Prospective Analysis of Increased Forecast Skill 4. Prospective Analysis of Further Investment in Yield Prophet Assumptions for valuing benefits were made in a consistently conservative manner in all four analyses. Sensitivity analyses were conducted for those variables that were thought to be uncertain or key drivers of the investment criteria. Ratings were given to the confidence in each analysis. The ratings included one for the coverage of benefits and a second for the degree of certainty in the assumptions.
Increasing the capacity to identify and action value chain integration opportunities
(2005) Higgins, A; Archer, AA
This report provides a review of the past value chain sugar research in Australia and other countries, and formulates key messages that the Australian industry can learn upon for future value chain activities. Compared to farming systems research, value chain research in sugar is not widely understood in the Australian industry, nor are the benefits of its existing research activities or new opportunities. In this document there are 11 current and past Australian projects reviewed that addressed value chain issues. An additional five projects from overseas sugar industries are also reviewed. Attitudes towards value chain research have been captured through focus groups and interviews in Maryborough and the Herbert, which are also summarised in this report. Value chain research in the Australian sugar industry has evolved substantially since its beginnings in 1997. Significant changes are in terms of learning from earlier projects incorporating their successful facets, and the increased value chain opportunities being addressed. Evolution of value chain issues and breadth of chain addressed is due to a growing acceptance within the industry of the change to achieve the benefits, but also external forces which create new priorities. This evolution is illustrated in Table 1 for the Australian sugar industry projects from 1997 to 2005, with the projects in ascending chronological order or start date.
The value chain of the Australian Sugar Industry : developments in the period 1970-2005 and future opportunities
(2006)
This report by the Sugar Research and Development Corporation (SRDC) provides an overview of the “state-of-the-art” of value chain improvement in the Australian sugar industry. It seeks to firstly, improve the level of awareness of the scope and potential benefits of value chain Research and Development (R&D) by regional participants in the sugar industry. Secondly, it seeks to stimulate thinking and interest in conducting further value chain R&D to underpin a vibrant industry. SRDC, as part of its R&D investment philosophy, believes that adoption of whole-of-system solutions based on integrated management of the value chain, particularly at mill area and regional levels, offers the opportunity to enhance revenue and cost efficiency to the benefit of all industry participants. The report draws on the following sources: • a review of value chain R&D conducted during the last decade by Higgins et al (2005); • presentations and discussions at the Value Chain Forum hosted by SRDC in Townsville in October 2005; • publications on value chains, particularly those concerning the Australian sugar industry; and • extensive discussions with representatives of the various sectors and regions of the Australian sugar industry, and with researchers. The report begins with a bold vision of what the sugar industry could look like in five or ten years. Achieving this vision, however, will require far-reaching changes to the existing value chain. The report then provides an explanation of value chains, and of the key factors that underpin their successful operation. It emphasises the central role of trust and commitment to the philosophy of “cooperating to compete” in improving the operation of value chains. Trust creates the environment within which investments in developing relationships (people, time, capital, processes and systems, transparency) and in re-negotiating reward systems, can flourish. The report then provides a very encouraging snapshot of value chain developments that have occurred and/or are in progress in three regions — Maryborough, Mackay, and the Herbert. It demonstrates that the pace of value chain improvement has accelerated greatly in the last five years and that benefits are being realised. Clearly, many interesting and far-reaching developments are underway and will in time enhance the operation of the value chain across the entire industry.
Climate change and the Australian Sugarcane Industry : impacts, adaptation and R&D opportunities
(2008) Park, S; Creighton, C; Howden, M
Australia is facing continuing climate change (IPCC 2007). The Agriculture and Food Policy Reference Group (2006) considers that without adequate preparation, climate change could have serious implications for sustainable agriculture and rural communities in Australia. This SRDC funded scoping study has been undertaken to provide a preliminary analysis of the impacts of climate change on the east coast sugar producing regions of Australia, and to identify the knowledge needs and the adaptation options available to the sugarcane industry to address climate change. The study was conducted in a consultative manner with sugarcane industry stakeholders representing all sectors of the industry attending workshops held in Maryborough and Brisbane during the period January to March 2007.
Precision agriculture options for the Australian sugarcane industry
(2007) Bramley, RGV; Davis, R; Bartels, R; Schmidt, E; Bruce, R
Precision agriculture (PA) has been embraced in other Australian agricultural industries. With the increase in adoption rates of new farming system principles including controlled traffic within the sugarcane industry, many growers and harvesting contactors are turning to PA to improve their profitability and productivity. Recognising the high level of interest among members of the Australian sugarcane industry in the potential of PA, the Sugar Research and Development Corporation called for projects to review and analyse technologies that are applicable to sugarcane farming and harvesting. SRDC commissioned two studies following this call. The first was undertaken by CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems and examined research and experience with PA in a range of cropping industries worldwide over the last 15 years including sugarcane in Australia, Mauritius, South Africa, the USA and South America. The second study was undertaken by the National Centre for Engineering in Agriculture in partnership with FSA Consulting. Their report describes how PA technologies operate, their uses, opportunities, limitations, risks and costs with respect to precision farming in the sugar industry. The report also describes how PA technologies can be integrated into a management system that will have both economic and environmental benefits for sugarcane production and harvesting. Both papers are provided in this publication. These findings were presented at an SRDC-hosted Precision Agriculture workshop on 11 May 2007. The purpose of the workshop was to identify what aspects of precision agriculture would benefit sugarcane farming and harvesting and to determine the priorities for R&D. The reviews were presented by Dr Rob Bramley (CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, Adelaide) and Rod Davis (FSA Consulting in partnership with NCEA, Toowoomba). Approximately 60 people attended representing growers, millers, BSES Limited, productivity service organisations, CSIRO, QDPI&F, universities, agricultural consultants, CANEGROWERS and agribusiness. The workshop sought to generate priority issues for further R&D to support the Australian sugarcane industry’s adoption of PA technologies. These priorities have been identified below.
Review, analysis and discussion of precision agriculture technologies : SRDC Final report NCA009
(2007) Davis, RJ; Schmidt, EJ
The development of a range of new technologies has brought agriculture and agricultural equipment to a whole new level of sophistication. First hypothesised in the early 1990’s, Precision Agriculture (PA) is a crop management philosophy, which utilises these technologies to produce crops in a more sustainable fashion. The Australian sugar industry is faced with a long term trend of reducing value of production and increasing input costs. The industry has rapidly adopted GPS based guidance technology with many cane growers now having access to high precision GPS technologies. However, there remains a wide range of uncertainties and conflicting opinions that make the next step for PA a daunting prospect for cane growers, therefore the adoption of PA has been slow. PA has gained a significant amount of publicity in recent years, especially in other farming systems such as cotton, grain growing and viticulture. There has been a flood of rapidly developing technologies and techniques (often very costly) that have confronted growers claiming to aid in all aspects of farm management. With a few notable exceptions, PA is still a relatively new concept in the sugar industry. However, it will happen in the sugar industry. PA technologies have the potential to improve the commercial viability and environmental sustainability of sugarcane production and harvesting. To a degree, PA, within the sugar industry has been driven by the advent of various new technologies, particularly the coupling of real-time positioning using global positioning systems (GPS). The rapid adoption of GPS guidance and tractor steering technology and the direct benefits of reduced overlap and increased productivity have made cane growers acutely aware of the potential benefits of new technologies. With the initial adoption of these technologies, cane growers are seeing the benefits of more efficient operations with some cane growers claiming that they have halved their labour requirements. There is thus an urgent need to increase knowledge of PA across the industry to ensure that adoption decisions are made on an informed basis that learns from other agricultural industries both domestically and internationally.
Precision agriculture; an avenue for profitable innovation in the Australian sugar industry, or expensive technology we can do without? : SRDC Final report CSE018
(2007) Bramley, R; Webster, T; Thorburn, P
Precision Agriculture (PA) is an all-encompassing term given to a suite of technologies which promote improved management of agricultural production through recognition that the potential productivity of agricultural land can vary considerably, even over very short distances (a few m). The key technologies involved are yield monitors, remote and proximal sensing, the global positioning system (GPS) and geographical information systems. This project was conducted in response to the recognition by the Sugar Research and Development Corporation (SRDC) that the Australian sugar industry needs an informed basis from which to make decisions as to appropriate investment in PA. The project took the form of a review of published literature on PA and two industry workshops: the first conducted mid-project to provide the Industry Reference Group with an opportunity to review project progress and to make input to the recommendations emerging from it; the second conducted at the completion of the project to inform industry of the conclusions drawn and to promote industry input into SRDC’s priority setting with respect to future PA research. The review briefly discusses the philosophy underpinning PA, looks at PA research and application in a range of cropping systems, including sugarcane production, from around the world and considers the key drivers of short range spatial variability in these production systems. Constraints to the adoption of PA and its likely economic benefits are also considered in light of experiences from around the world. The opportunities that PA offers to the Australian sugar industry are identified, along with recommendations of further research, development and extension to facilitate its productive and profitable adoption. It is concluded that sugarcane production is ideally suited to the adoption of PA. However, a number of key tasks in Research, Development and Extension (RDE) are identified which will be required to enable its implementation in the Australian sugar industry.
Global change : helping inform the Australian sugar industry on potential impacts, possible adaptation strategies and best bet investment of R&D
(2007) Park, S; Howden, M
Australia is facing some degree of continuing global change (IPCC 2007) (referred to as climate change in this report, and including climate variables and atmospheric gases). The Agriculture and Food Policy Reference Group (2006) considers that without adequate preparation, climate change could have serious implications for sustainable agriculture in Australia. Changes to current practices are therefore required to accommodate climatic changes and ensure future sustainability of the industry in its present location. This challenge will require capacity building to help stakeholders interpret projections, consider impacts and risks and develop and adopt adaptation strategies to address climate change. It is also necessary to identify knowledge gaps to guide future R&D investment.
National Program for Sustainable Irrigation
(2010)
The National Program for Sustainable Irrigation was a unique collaboration as it involved governments, irrigators, water providers and researchers from across Australia. It covered every aspect of irrigation from dam management and water delivery, through on-farm management, to sustainable landscape environmental measures. The program has contributed to; • major increases in the efficiency and productivity of irrigation water, • significant reductions in salinity to the Murray Darling Rivers, • greater knowledge and technical capacity of irrigators and irrigation professionals. NPSI partners invested $5.2 million between 2006 - 2012, which led to an additional $6.5 million of co-investments in projects. Benefit cost ratios from investments in irrigation research consistently have been high, between 7 and 14 to one. Equally important have been environmental benefits and human capacity building. In total, 42% of funds were invested in projects that have increased knowledge, 37% that increased efficiency and 21% of invested funds have delivered a demonstrable industry economic impact. Tangible benefits to irrigators have resulted due to improved knowledge of water use efficiency benchmarks and tools, the ability to quantify water losses and better management strategies being put into practice. NPSI has been active in building improved skills, knowledge and decision making of end users via workshops, training events and publications. NPSI played a collaborative role in feeding information from research through to extension networks and sales/technical representatives, then on to the farm. The flagship publication “Irrigation Essentials” provides a snapshot of the latest NPSI research and development that is improving technology, enabling the sharing of knowledge and practice change across all agricultural commodities and horticultural industries. It provides case studies that demonstrate how research and good ideas may be adopted and provides sources of additional information on key topics. Sixty individual case studies have been published. The economic pay off from NPSI II was estimated to deliver at least $13.7m (present value terms) to the Australian economy. Against a total NPSI II investment of $9.1m (present value terms) this represents a positive pay off on funds invested. The net present value was estimated at $4.6m which represents a return of $1.50 on every dollar invested in NPSI II. If benefits are only compared against the cost of projects that have delivered an economic benefit (21% of total costs) the return would be $7.20 for every dollar invested across those projects. The program commissioned an external evaluation of its operations in 2011

Farming systems and production management

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