VERMICULTURE

“Any problem faced in a society, anything with respect to environment and any problem faced on a personal behalf is nothing but a disaster.” These deep thoughts of Dr. Aniruddha Joshi were put forward before AADM. Under the guidance of AADM several projects have been implemented. One of them is ‘Vermiculture’ project. In brief, compost can be produced from degradable waste with the help of earthworms.

Due to this project living creatures like earthworms are conserved. This conservation is required or else there would be a shortage of food, draughts and deserting of land. This would eventually become a major issue before the world.

Bacteria, warms and earthworms are the living organisms of the soil. Because of them soil becomes rich in its content and provides food for crops. And it also protect the self fertility of the soil.

After the 2^nd World war there was a shortage of food grain which led to Green Revolutions which increase the use of Chemical Fertilizer and Pesticides. To increase the production of food grains. Farmers started using Chemical fertilizers regularly even when it was not required some farmers were using it and that too in a wrong manner. The side effect. soon surfaced.

Vermi Culture Process

Vermiculture project launched ,P.P.Bapu is aimed at implementation at the homes of all the volunteers associated with Aniruddha Upasna Trust. The main aim of this project is to reduce the urban waste at its source without and logistics or processing involved in the same. Following is the process for installing a miniature version at home.

Material Required:

1) Bucket (Minimum 3 litres)

2) Nylon Net (Big enough to cover the bucket from inside)

3) Dry Grass (Hay). Should cover the entire bottom of the bucket

4) Dung Cake – 1

5) Kitchen waste (uncooked only raw)

6) Culture of Earthworms

7) Water (fistful)

8) Jute Bag or a normal cloth

9) A tub (for placing the bucket)

Process:

1) Take the bucket and drill holes at its bottom and the lower half so that excess water can drain out.

2) Then spread the nylon net across the bottom of the bucket.

3) Now put hay at the bottom. The hay has to be soaked in the water for at least one night so that the excess heat in the hay is drained out.

4) Crush the dung cake to fine powder. Put the half of the quantity above the hay. Dung cake has to be soaked in water previously for two days.

5) Now put the kitchen waste above this. The waste has to be natural in origin and should not be subjected to any cooking procedures. The waste has to be cut in fine pieces. The waste should not be crushed in mixer (this is done by many people to minimize the time involved in cutting the waste in fine pieces as this chokes the entire culture out of oxygen).

6) Now put the culture of earthworms over this. There should be fistful of earthworms put into the bucket.

7) Now top this up with the remaining crush of dung cake that is left with us.

8) Sprinkle 3 fistfuls of water to finally top it up.

9) Now keep this bucket with moist jute bag covered every time.

10) One has to sprinkle 2-3 fistfuls of water on alternate days.

11) Kitchen waste has to be put into the bucket. (Kitchen waste contents: peels of fruits and vegetables, human nails and hair, chalk powder, etc), (Use of cabbage, onion and garlic should be restricted. Non-vegetarians item should be avoided as them may spread foul smell). The waste should be preferable stored in an air-tight bucket and put into the culture bucket weekly. Weekly putting the waste would decompose the material. The earthworms eat only decomposed organic material so this process has to be preferably followed.

12) A crushed and water soaked dung cake has to be put into this bucket atleast once in a month. For better results fortnightly introduction of dung cake is recommended.

13) The final produce (Tea like fine powder) should be ready for use within two to two and half months from the time of installation.

14) 12 – 15 days prior to the final harvesting of the produce feeding of water and waste should be stopped so that earthworms finish eating the waste already in the bucket.

14) Before introducing the manure in plants in has to be dried for 2 days in a shady place so that it doesn’t catch fungus.

15) Place the bucket in a tub large enough to accommodate the bucket and still leave some space between the walls for better aeration and regulation of heat.

16) The water that is collected in this bucket can be put in plants or spread on them. This water acts as a disinfectant and is a natural pesticide.

17) The water collected in the tub has to be removed regularly or else it may hamper aeration.

18) In case the earthworms start rising on the surface of the bucket in hoards then sprinkle a tumbler full of water and also put some wet pieces of newspaper. This would regulate the temperature inside the bucket and the earthworms would settle down.

19) Avoid exposing the bucket to sunlight and rains. Store in cool and dry place.

20) At the time of renewal of the culture same process has to be repeated. But the earthworms of the earlier cukture have to be hand picked and introduced back in the new culture

Chemical fertilizer Vs Vermi-Compost

Sr.No.	Chemical fertilizer	Vermi-Compost
1	In a Chemical fertilizer only 45 to 50% is nutritious for crops but the remaining Chemical fertilizer leaves behind those minerals which are not useful for soil .These useless minerals destroy water absorbing capacity of soil . also Chemical fertilizer increase salinity of soil.	Due to vermiculture the water absorbing capacity of soil increases .This leads to permanent wetness of soil and this can also avoid draughts.
2	For Chemical fertilizer lots of water is required for cultivation which leads to shortage of water.	Due to vermiculture the water absorbing capacity of soil increases .This holds the soil together so it doesn’t blow away.
3	Excess use of Chemical fertilizer reduce the immunity of the crops which leads to the use of pesticides.	Use of vermiculture increase the immunity of the crops which avoids the use of pesticides.
4	Due to use of Chemical fertilizer the standard of production reduces . The colour ,taste , size is not up to the standard thereby decrease in the market value.	The production increases due to the use of vermiculture. The colour, taste, size is up to the mark which increases its market value.
5	The harmful effects of Chemical absorbed by the crops by the F and Pesticides affects the food chain via food , and it affects the health of animals and human bodies . Pesticides are nuerotoxics similarly heart problem, cancer, kidney related problems ,breathing problem ,skin diseases , eye problem and can also affect the womb of pregnant mothers , causes pre mature deliveries , etc.	Due to fully pure and harmless fertilizer the food chain is unaffected .
6	The harmful gases and residual liquid waste produced due to the production of Chemical fertilizer pollutes the air and land respectively .The fluids drained in rivers affect the marine life too.	There is about 2500 crore tons of byproducts comes from industries which can be decomposed .If they are used in vermiculture 500 crors tons of f can be produced. This will eventually reduce the pollution caused by Chemical Fertilizer.
7	Transportation cost increases.	vermiculture process takes place on the cultivating land itself thereby transportation is not involved so transportation cost.
8	Production of Chemical fertilizer requires petroleum to run the production machineries. The rising cost and shortage of petroleum is already an issue for our country.	Petroleum is not use for the production of natural fertilizer , thus it can be utilized for other purposes.
9	Chemical fertilizer and Chemical Pesticides are expensive. They are supposed to be used in specific combination because one of the alone cant suffice the purpose.	Natural Fertilizer provides 16 nutrients which includes the required hormones and oxygen as well as essential bacteria for the growth of crops.
10	It requires lot of finance to set up the factory and machinery for the production of Chemical fertilizer.	Vermiculture is a zero finance process which requires just the efforts.