Vermicompost – Ecology connected livelihood programs!
Vermicompost (vermi-compost) is the product of the decomposition process using various
species of worms, usually red wigglers, and other earthworms, to create a mixture of
decomposing vegetable or food waste, bedding materials, and vermicast. This process is
called vermicomposting, while the rearing of worms for this purpose is called vermiculture.
Vermicompost contains water-soluble nutrients and is an excellent, nutrient-rich organic
fertilizer and soil conditioner. It is used in gardening and sustainable, organic farming.
Advantages of Vermicompost
Soil
• Improves soil aeration
• Enriches soil with micro-organisms
• Microbial activity in worm castings is 10 to 20 times higher than in the soil and organic
matter that the worm ingests.
• Attracts deep-burrowing earthworms already present in the soil
• Improves water holding capacity
Plant growth
• Enhances germination, plant growth, and crop yield
• It helps in root and plant growth
• Enriches soil organisms (adding plant hormones such as auxins and gibberellic acid)
Economic
• Biowastes conversion reduces waste flow to landfills
• Creates low-skill jobs at local level
• Low capital investment and relatively simple technologies make vermicomposting
practical for less-developed agricultural regions
Environmental
• Helps to close the “metabolic gap” through recycling waste on-site
• Large systems often use temperature control and mechanized harvesting, however other
equipment is relatively simple and does not wear out quickly
• Production reduces greenhouse gas emissions such as methane and nitric
oxide (produced in landfills or incinerators when not composted).
Total household for vermicompost: 15
Cost of each vermicompost setup (including shed house construction, polythene sheet,
earthworms purchase): Rs. 35000.00
Total cost: Rs. 350000.00
Weekly/monthly maintenance report
On 02.02.23 and 03.02.23, a team of Atin Chatterjee and Abhishek Ghosh visited Jhilimili,
Sutaboi, Gorshika and Dhatala. Local field staff like Damu, Bapi, Bhola and Bamdev
accompanied the team in their respective jurisdictions.
Despite the 44% rainfall deficit this year, in some places the plantations thrived very well and
the plants sprouted flowers. But in some places we experienced a bitter situation. Here are
some of our sweet and bitter experiences.
Sweet experiences:
1. The average height of the plants is now 3 feet, with some plants having grown to 5 feet or
more.
2. Some plants such as lemon, ber and mango have already formed inflorescences.
3. In some places, local stakeholders have protected the plants with thorn bushes to prevent
cattle from eating them.
4. People are very happy with the performance of the plants and our way of working.
5. People are willing to provide us with more land.
6. In some cases, when irrigation of individual plants was necessary, those involved provided
water in buckets.
7. Even on rocky ground and sandy riverbanks, our plants do well.
Bitter experiences:
1. In all places, the netting we provided was stolen or burned by unknown persons.
2. In some places the plants were burned in deliberate forest fires.
3. Some plants have also died as there is hardly any water available in these places.
4. Providing small plants for planting was a failure.
5. The timing of planting has been delayed due to the absence of monsoon.
Photo plates
Mango in rocky surface
Leaf inspection
Potato leaf burning due to lack of water
Forest fire
Discussing a point with field staff and stakeholder Healthy growth
Biofencing by local stakeholders
Inflorescence in plant
SOP – monthly and weekly inspection checklist maintained by team
SL.NO. REMARKS
1
2
Leaf color
Leaf falling
Leaf pattern
Insect attack if any
Type of damage by insect attack
Branches
Flowering
Fruiting
4
5
6
7
8
Plant growth checking
Soil Humidity
Nutrient requirement
Plant mortality if any and cause
Fencing
Additional Information
Village Name:
Plot Name:
Date of inspection:
Last date of Irrigation
Plant Height
3
FIELD INSPECTION FEEDBACK
New approach - Iteration
As per our last year plantation and community work, we have decided to make some changes
in the approach to make the following more robust:
1. More participation from local stakeholders – 60% in plantation and maintenance
2. Change in species as per our biodiversity and phenology study to take care of:
a. Elephant fodder
b. Elephant repellent in strategic areas to avoid conflict
c. To avoid cattle feed
d. Soil and water regeneration
e. Species which can be used by locals for livelihood like bamboo products etc
f. All native local plants as per study list
g. Farmers are saving the plants with covering of trees by dry branches of Ber fruit.
h. They are making their own community to supervise, saving from cattle grazing.
3. Strategic plantation positions of different species in the land
Next qtr.:
1. Plantation and land preparation in new approach