Vermicompost:An Organic Manure for Sustainable Agriculture

Vermicompost is an organic manure (bio-fertilizer) produced as the vermicast by earth worm feeding on biological waste material; plant residues. Vermi casts are popularly called as ‘Black Gold’. This compost is an odorless, clean, organic material containing adequate quantities of N, P, K and several micronutrients essential for plant growth. The prime market for vermicompost is in agriculture and horticulture. Farmers are already using vermicompost in large quantities. Small and marginal farmers would do well to produce vermicompost on their own. Home gardens, kitchen gardens and commercial plant nurseries are an excellent market for vermicompost in urban areas. This enterprise offers tremendous scope for expansion in rural areas because it has the potential to engage small farmers and women who can easily set up such units at the household level. The enterprise is based on the conversion of waste matter into rich plant humus by using earthworms. No specific skill is required. It is a viable production oriented enterprise with tremendous scope for expansion in rural areas. Moreover, it will solve the employment problems of both literate and illiterate, especially women. In view of this, vermicomposting is an effective means of composting the decomposable organic wastes using earthworms naturally present in the soil. Its improves the physical and biological condition of soil, improves soil fertility and pulverizes it through their churning and turning action in addition to contributing plant nutrients, improves aeration and water holding capacity. It is the scope to small and marginal farmers in creating their own organic manure resources and ways to generate not only alternative income but maintain the soil health also. Vermicompost is a preferred nutrient source for organic farming, which enriches soil quality by improving its physicochemical and biological properties. It is ecofriendly, non-toxic, consumes low energy input for composting and is a recycled biological product. Vermicompost is becoming popular as a major component of organic farming system.