Vermicomposting Bridges Up Strident Agricultural Economy and Healthy Crop Production

Since the green revolution in 1970, growing more food has been addressed for the promotion of economic development, enduring the challenging food security of increased overpopulation in the country. While, high yielding varieties and chemical fertilizers are raised with highly crucial efficacies in intensive crop production, as well as chemical pesticides are also necessary threads in the protection of crops against the pest attack but their intensive uses unravel the perplexing consequences as soil health deterioration, bio-diversities exploitation and groundwater pollution, while health hazards remain due to synthesized residues of agrochemicals in foodstuffs. 

However, adverse effects of agro-chemicals experience alternative tools to vermicomposting towards minimal influence on the environment, as the thinking is conceptualized to researchers and planners. It is a sustainable approach, deliberated to substantiate waste management and agricultural production, balancing chemical fertilizers in soil and reducing harmful effects. It comprises of various resourceful nutrients viz., Organic carbon 9.8 - 13.4%, Nitrogen 1.5 - 2.0%, Phosphorus 1.8-2.2%, Potassium 1-1.5%, Calcium 1.18 - 7.61%, Magnesium 0.093 - 0.568%, Sodium 0.058 - 0.158%, Zinc 0.0042 - 0.110%, Copper 0.0026 - 0.0048%, Iron 0.2050 - 1.3313% and Manganese 0.0105 - 0.2038% that are highly essential for plants growth and development in terms of nutritional status and availability, improving soil health, comparatively preferable to cow dung manure.

Moreover, vermicompost or vermicast is the decomposed products in the process of bulking agents of cow dung, vegetable & fruit waste, food waste, rice husk and agro-waste using combined action of earthworms and microbes, introducing vermicomposting as well as rearing worms known as vermiculture. Alternatively, vermicompost has been believed to be constituted of excretion of earthworms (earthworm cast) and decomposed organic matter, while earthworms apparently feed the organic matter of their own body weights, but they do not eat, obtaining their nutrition. Elsewhere microorganisms’ viz., bacteria, fungi, and protozoa exactly feed it, which are also essential food sources for earthworms, thereby feeding microbes, influence microbial populations, induce surrounding microbes to susceptible after broken down of organic matter, and combination of earthworms and microorganisms enhances in decomposing organic matter. Whilst the worm casts do not comprehend any disease pathogens, they are killed in the gut of earthworms. Eventually, bulking agents are also presented as the best organic matter, and provide nutrients for growth and nutrition of earthworms in enhancing further reproduction, which help in reducing moisture content with safer ecology for earthworms. Nevertheless, earthworms, breaking down of organic matter that reproduces worm humus or manure and its excreta or worm casts, have experienced at least contaminants and maximized saturated nutrients than organic materials before vermicomposting.

Furthermore, earthworm species of Eisenia fetida or Eisenia andrei, is diversified in Europe and temperate regions, widely introduced as banding worms, red worm and red wigglers. Species of Eisenia hortensis in European nightcrawlers have shown their longer duration with lower reproduction rate, and medium sized species of Lumbricus rubellus in red earthworm of European native concerned with a global distribution in regard to earthworm invaders. In Bangladesh, marking the experience in producing vermicompost, demonstrating field performance and research of vermicomposting, epigeic earthworms of E. fetida have shown not only its higher efficiency in decomposition, but also for their faster appetites and quick breeding.

Notably, soil particles passing in the digestive system of earthworm emerge as a drilosphere, preferring to decompose and transform organic materials, resulting in attributes with soil characteristics. Hence earthworms grind minerals in simple forms, transporting nutrients minimally to plant requirements. After all, few species of soil microbes have also been influenced in the digestion of earthworms which enable soil microbiological equilibrium leading to a living soil environment. Rich in humic acids, water soluble nutrients, homogenized texture and soil conditioner, vermicompost contributes nutrient rich organic fertilizer, showcasing nutrients available for plants. It can be applied in lawns, potted plants, gardens, nurseries and extending in large farm areas of different crops that promotes soil health compatibility towards durable ecology.

With usefulness and its progressive adoption, vermicompost production has been switched over two decades across the individuals of people at homestead, but it implies little space in large farming areas compared to other composting throughout the country. Since earlier civilization, vermicompost has been used, but it has never been done on a larger scale. It is greatly practiced in many countries of India, Canada, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, the USA, and Nepal at adventures towards greater achievement. Besides, the organic waste is also used in vermicomposting that can be reused as organic fertilizer, embedded in the biological process of organic waste which enhances biodegradation with earthworm mixture. Consequently, vermicompost is attributed to bioremediation, and reduces in accumulation of heavy metal waste due to inciting earthworms in vermicomposting and release of intestinal enzymes of earthworms that kill many pathogens in waste, as well as heavy metals are also absorbed in the skin or in their intestines of earthworms.

Meanwhile, transformed vermicompost, vermiwash is a liquid product, extracted in the persistence of rich earthworms, and contains the nutrients of 1.5 %-2.2 % N, 1.8 %-2.2 % P and 1.0 %-1.5 % K, and releases plant growth hormones and enzymes that are composed of proteases, amylases, urease and phosphatase. In addition, nitrogen-fixing bacteria Azotobacter sp., Agrobacterium sp. and Rhizobium sp. and some phosphate solubilizing elements have been determined, recognizing their potentiality to promote plant growth. Simultaneously, vermicompost leachates obtained from vermicompost, are generated from earthworm bodies and sourced with nutrients, vitamins, amino acids and different growth hormones of auxins and cytokines, and antioxidant stimulant, which have the potentiality in improving root and shoot development and combined application with vermicompost also lead to synergized impact on physiological and morphological features of plant growth.

Vermicompost is thought to be a sustainable reservoir of macro and micro nutrients and possesses less soluble salts and neutralized soil pH, contributing nutrients available for plants. Subsequently, it is the sole power house of micronutrients and stress elements that has greater ability to produce healthy crops. With the improved soil quality and textural development, it has no alternative compared to synthetic chemical fertilizers, preventing soil erosion and increasing oxygen level. In addition, incumbent differential functions of vermicompost have been rich in soil organic matter, increase soil porosity and loosening, enhance moisture content capacity and minimize soil temperatures, leading to nutrients consistent in soil for strident crop yield. It builds soil biodiversity with beneficial microbes, elucidates plant growth due to induced plant enzymes and hormones, which restrains the diseases and insect attacks and unfolds plant resistance to abiotic stresses.

According to the Food and Agricultural Organization, 15,500 metric tons of pesticides are being applied in agricultural use and 1.76 Kg/ha is utilized for crop production every year. Pesticide application of indiscrimination year after year has led to harmful threats on soil health, groundwater and environment, and its residues in food also transfigure in bioaccumulation and biomagnifications across the food web. Therefore, vermicompost has the potentiality to provide healthy nutrients for improved quality food production to make a better livelihood without contaminating soil health and groundwater, embarking a thriving environment. Remarkably, imbalanced and over usage of chemical fertilizers interrupt nutrients availability, fix nutrients in soil inducing toxicity, unable to supply nutrients in plants, detrimental to plants health which can be conciliated by using vermicompost towards neutralizing nutrient solubility.

 
Based on the raw materials and species of earthworms, 30-35 Kg vermicompost can be produced from each 100 Kg raw materials using 500 earthworms within 30-45 days, afterwards, earthworms are numerically doubled at every month. Numerous programs driven by the Department of Agricultural Extension have shown higher capabilities and initiatives to introduce many individuals in producing vermicompost regarding their success. Amongst, Mst. Jahanara Khatun (45) is well known for her attribution in progressing agriculture of Sadar Upazila, Kushtia, as a marginal farmer. In 2011, she started a vermicompost production at minimum investment at the cost of TK. 7,200/- and only profit incurred at TK. 1933/- per month. With continued support of technology, she earned a profit of TK. 23,480/- at each month in the total cost of TK. 30,805/- in 2021 and extended net profit in TK. 24,000/- (14 TK. per Kg) per month until 2024. Her enormous impressions encompass surrounding women, where they are cultivating rice, jute and vegetables with vermicompost at little cost. Once she had struggled with financial escalation before engaging in vermicomposting, she also added, she lived with destitute lives. Her suggestions indicate that the marginal farmers, who are combating poverty and financial crises, contribute input assistance with technology which can change their livelihoods in the rural economy and alleviate poverty. Noteworthy, Md. Arifur Rahman (43), Bheramara, Kushtia is well educated with higher qualifications, has cosmopolitan working traits and worked in different multinational jobs from 2009 to 2019. Leaving the jobs, he began to produce vermicompost using earthworm, cow dung and tea waste in 2020. Only investment commenced at TK. 7,000/- that produced the compost fertilizer, contributing net profit in TK. 600/- per month. The profit was increased at TK. 5000/- per month during the year of 2021 and its net return appeared at TK. 14,000/- per month (16 TK. per Kg) with the total cost of TK. 27,500/- in 2024. Mr. Ariful said that he was highly frustrated with job satisfaction and the authoritarian bureaucracy during his service period, he also said, cow dung with vermicompost production was menace to him and its marketing was thought to be ambiguous challenges in this event. After all, his advice provokes that no fluctuating markets have persisted in the trade, while the products are sold without any hesitation as other products are in an intricate supply chain. Likely, another Vermicast producer Md. Zahidul Islam (50), Daulatpur, Kushtia is a farmer of small category and started vermicompost production with TK. 16,800/- in 2012, achieving monthly profit at TK. 1170/- and increased net profit in TK. 26,580/- per month by 2016 and monthly profit reached at TK. 27,570/- ( TK. 15 per Kg) in the total cost of TK. 46,305/- during 2024. By this time he is also recognized as the best entrepreneur in vermicomposting, impacting people in the society, and many people in the neighbouring areas who have received the technology. His suggestion reminds educated unemployed, they should accommodate in vermicompost production trade for the betterment of healthy crop production. As a result, the resistance in the rural economy may be turned to witness the success of economic empowerment across unemployed rural, semi-urban people and women in patronizing agricultural growth. 

Eventually, no machinery instruments have been involved in vermicomposting, suggesting that the easiest technique increases higher economic return and value addition. Vermicompost, emerging word black gold, as it has its significant feasibility in producing healthy crops with least hazards of chemicals that reduces the necessity of the over dosage of chemical fertilizers. Naturally waste management practice with earthworms can be turned into organic fertilizer, contributing nutrients alternative to chemical fertilizer which represent the cost effective technology, less time, safer and comfortable business. Marginal farmers, women, low income people and unemployed youth, those who have little resources, using the best opportunities they can earn knowledge and skill and thereby accepting the technologies, boost their increasing sources of incomes. Experiencing vermicomposting is one of the most affordable enterprises, while many individuals have accessed successful entrepreneurship as they reach socio-economic empowerment. 

By targeting the achievements of vermicompost production with maintaining soil health environment, in order to promote better healthy crops for the nations, these programs have been echoed by marginal farmers and lower investors. With a wider space of sustainable production, considering the challenges, special credits, training, support, awareness and mentoring that can intervene a milestone horizon for vermicompost promotion to ensure sustainable soil heath, healthy crop production, country’s agricultural economy, and generating employment.   

 
Dr. Hyat Mahmud is Principal (Retired), Agriculture Training
Institute, Jhenaidah.