How Ecoganic farming systems are reversing ecosystem decline
See how Innisfail’s Frank and Dianne Sciacca’s bananas tipped with red wax are helping reverse declining ecosystems and land, soil and waterway degradation.
Growing up on the banks of the South Johnson River at Innisfail and diving on the Great Barrier Reef, Frank Sciacca’s love of the environment led him to create a world-first innovation helping to restore farm ecology.
Having known the vitality of the reef and then its subsequent decline with coral bleaching over multiple decades, Frank, a commercial banana grower, became aware of just how important ecosystems were at sea and on land.
It set him on a path to develop a system that could change farming for the better.
“After several decades of ‘doing it the traditional way’, we realised that the health of our farm ecosystem and the taste of our fruit was negatively impacted by the commercial pressure to grow cheap but perfect looking fruit,” said Frank, who farms with wife Dianne.
“Since both traditional and organic farming use either synthetic or organic chemicals which sterilise the soil and kill insects, which is costly and destructive, we knew that we needed to find a way to farm in harmony with nature.
“We hypothesised that if we could find a way to harness our natural capital and invite all creatures big and small to help us to grow our crops, we could drastically reduce the use of chemicals, both synthetic and organic, and minimise the impact on the soil, the habitat and nearby waterways.”
FINDING BALANCE
The Sciaccas pioneered a system called Ecoganic – now in its 25th year.
The certified ecological production and management system monitors, repairs and enhances biodiversity, biological cycles and activity, and ecosystem balance through reduced farming inputs.
It is third-party audited and the outcomes are measurable with soil samples regularly gathered, tested and verified by independent agencies.
Seven banana growers across 400ha in Queensland now farm under the Ecoganic system, marketing their bananas with the distinctive red wax tip, exclusive to Ecoganic producers.
Ecoganic now has avocado and papaya growers using the management system and more recently apple and pear farmers from southern states have shown interest in joining.
PROVING THE BENEFITS
Unlike organic farming, where the ecological benefits or impacts were largely un-monitored, Frank said Ecoganic involved fortnightly insect and biodiversity monitoring, six-monthly audits and annual carbon monitoring.
“The level of biodiversity, soil health, biological activity and key species indicators allow us to verify our claims that our growers do not rely on synthetic or organic chemicals to manipulate or fight nature,” Frank said.
“Every creature plays a part in our ecosystem and we’ve invited the insects and nature’s other farmers back on to the plantation to work alongside us.
“They’ve brought with them all the natural benefits of farming that’s free from harsh chemicals and fertilisers, which have proven negative long-term impacts on biodiversity. And we’re seeing real, tangible results in our products and environment.”
In the past 12 months, the Ecoganic farming group, using the Queensland Government’s HortCarbon Info carbon calculating system, reduced more than 1000 tonnes of carbon from entering the atmosphere.
Since 2017, the number of insects recorded on monitored sites has almost doubled, microbial diversity in soils has increased and wildlife biodiversity is thriving.
Frank said the Ecoganic method more than halved the amount of man-made inputs in crop production on plantations. It also reduced food waste, which costs Australian households up to $2500 a year, because Ecoganic bananas had a naturally longer shelf life, a sweet taste and creamy texture due to the slower growing process.
STEPPING STONES
The Sciaccas have 80,000 banana trees on their 50ha property, harvesting year round.
A farm manager helps with day-to-day running while Frank and Dianne focus on research, development and providing support to other Ecoganic growers.
For growers to become certified they must implement an environmental management system to the internationally recognised ISO 14001 standard and meet all Ecoganic production standards.
“We start off by reducing and removing inputs, but we do it in a fashion that is not going to financially kill the farm or hurt the farmer that they will be left with no crop,” Frank said.
Crops were monitored closely to enable growers to build confidence and knowledge in the new system before making improvements such as planting different plants to reduce pest problems.
POTENTIAL FOR GROWTH
Ecoganic Red Tip Bananas are the only bananas to be endorsed by The Great Barrier Reef Foundation, despite the fact 94 per cent of Australia’s banana farms in north Queensland are located alongside the reef.
The partnership has been in place for 20 years with a percentage of proceeds from the sale of bananas donated to the foundation.
Ecoganic holds less than 10 per cent of banana industry market share, selling about half a million bananas a week.
“We are only a small percentage of the banana industry but we are growing and our potential is growing,” Frank said.
“We are the only guys exporting out of Australia. We have good export potential because overseas markets are looking for production systems like ours that can verify their outcomes.”
Ecoganic aimed to command a premium of 30 to 40 per cent more than conventional prices for growers, but the cost of production had increased significantly since the pandemic with labour accounting for more than 50 per cent, followed by transport and packaging – elements farmers had no control over.
“It is not easing. Costs are increasing. It is going to be a hard one to get through in the next few years,” Frank said.
“If we are to survive in our production system, we need to offset what we are doing. If we don’t get that price, we won’t survive.”
Frank said the bulk of past profits from Ecoganic was reinvested into the business and R&D.
“Our intentions have always been more than just about us,” Frank said.
“It is about the planet and everything that lives on it. I can’t explain the feeling – it is a good feeling – knowing you aren’t destroying things just for you.”
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