Climate change is effecting most of the sugar cane growing regions of Australia some in differing ways- flooding /intense rainfall events and longer dry periods.Sugar cane growers are needing to find new ways and develop practices to deal with these extreme events.

Sea level rise will and in many case is already effecting the coastal low lands where sugar cane is grown. Much of this very productive sugar land is less than +1mt AHD.

Sugar cane growers are developing and  adopting innovative practices eg. the reduction in burning and the resulting ground cover of the crop residue helps to reduce evaporation in non irrigated areas. Mounding and planting above the natural ground level has increased drainage  for the intense rainfall events.In irrigated areas farmers have been able to eliminate 5 of the  first 6 irrigations through retaining the ground cover. The retension of residue  in the fields  and other practices in the sugar cane industry have also increased the soil organic carbon levels.  In turn this has reduced chemical fertilizer inputs resulting in a carbon neutral sugar cane industry in many cases.

Automatic de-watering pumping systems have been installed  to allow drainage to minus 0.5mt.

Farmers have developed  innovative systems of levys and farming systems to allow a continuation of farming as sea level rises. These can be transferred to other areas of Australia and coastal low lands globally.

Farmers will continue to innovate as the climate changes.