The Sustainable Sugarcane Farm Management System (SUSFARMS^® ) is the South African sugar industry’s compendium of better management practices designed to help sugarcane farmers implement and monitor sustainable practices.

• Farmers can use the system’s self-assessment tool to evaluate their current practices, track progress towards sustainability goals and identify areas for improvement. It provides guidelines for better management practices (BMPs) that consider the environment, social responsibility, and economic factors.
• Farmers can use the system to evaluate their current practices and identify areas for improvement.
• SUSFARMS^® offers a self-assessment tool (The Progress Tracker) to track progress towards sustainability goals.

Overall, SUSFARMS^®  helps the sugar industry by reducing the environmental impact of sugarcane production; promoting fair treatment of workers and engagement with local communities; whilst ensuring farms are profitable in the long term.

Many customers of sugarcane products require sustainability certification which address ethical and environmental concerns in sugarcane production. Currently, SUSFARMS^®  is being used in some mill areas to meet sugar customer demands for sustainable supply of the product. In these areas, engagement with the SUSFARMS^®  system is greater than in areas where it is not mandatory to complete a farm assessment. However, it is likely that certification will become a more widespread requirement when the industry diversifies into alternative products such as sustainable aviation fuel.

Whilst one of the benefits of certification include market access, adoption of BMPs within a farming system will lead to greater profitability on-farm. It is within this area that SASRI’s Extension Specialists engage with growers – both large- and small-scale. SASRI provides the technical know-how and guidance for implementing BMPs, encouraging farmers to apply more regenerative approaches and long-term farm sustainability practices.

Many growers find the self-assessment aspect of SUSFARMS^® laborious; it is seen as an administrative burden and engagement with the actual content of the system is therefore low. In mill areas where there is no current requirement for certification, growers do not feel incentivised to engage with SUSFARMS^®. This represents a lost opportunity as growers are denying themselves insights into labour requirements, practices to increase yield, and many more useful and sustainable practices.

Apart from market advantage, sugarcane growers can reap several benefits by implementing SUSFARMS^® :

• Sustainability: SUSFARMS^®  promotes practices that minimise environmental impact, such as water conservation and soil health. This ensures long-term viability of the land and reduces regulatory risks.
• Profitability: BMPs often lead to increased yields and efficiency. SUSFARMS^® helps growers optimise resource use and potentially reduce costs.
• Compliance: SUSFARMS^®  keeps growers up to date on relevant regulations and helps them comply with legal requirements, avoiding potential fines or penalties.
• Self-Assessment & Improvement: The SUSFARMS^®  self-assessment tool allows growers to identify areas for improvement and track their progress towards sustainability goals.

By adopting SUSFARMS^®, growers can become more responsible stewards of the environment, improve their bottom line, and position themselves for success in a demanding marketplace.