Utilising GIS in the sugar industry - Development of the Herbert Resource Information Centre

Adequate planning in cane growing regions demands the establishment of an appropriate information base. The presence of an improved information base can have a positive impact on farm, mill and industry planning activities in the sugar industry. A Geographic Information System (GIS) is a powerfultool that has a dem-:onstrated capability to facilitate decision-making. However, implementation of GIS in the sugar industry has been limited to a few simple applications. This paper describes the approach used to develop the concept of a corporate GIS facility in the Herbert River District. It details initial activities focussing on familiarising stakeholders with basic concepts of GIS and developing an understanding of their requirements for the use of GIS. It also details a cost-benefit analytical framework used to justify investment in the system. In particular, it describes a strategic framework for evaluating GIS that has sufficient relevance to make it broadly applicable for use in other sugar cane growing regions.