VERMICULTURE
Boosting our soil with green technology conversion of organic waste into “Black Gold”
Environmental degradation has become a major hazard facing the world today, caused by high human population rates resulting in an increase of waste production. There are clear indications that soil fertility is dropping, and that farmers try to compensate by increasing fertilizer applications. This serves to aggravate the problem, as one of the reasons for decline in fertility is the lack of proper soil organic matter. There is an increased recognition that the adoption of earthworm farming (vermiculture) can be solution for reversing the crisis.
Vermiculture is a practice of harvesting worms that take part in decomposing organic material and flush it out of their system, which is referred to as worm manure.
Vermicompost is the product of decomposition process using various worm species i.e earthworks. It is an excellent organic manure for environmental friendly agriculture.
WHY VERMICULTURE IS A GOOD IDEA.
Enlisting worms to help with your composting can speed up the process and break down of the materials more efficienctly. As the worms eat through the matter, they aerate it as they make their tunnels through it. This aids aerobic decomposition. They also enrich the mix with their decrement, which is an excellent soil amender. Worm poop or worm castings enhance the finished compost and make it particularly beneficial for soil and plants.
Vermiculture is an option that can work well no matter how much space you have at your disposal. It can allow composting to take place even in small gardens and even when a household has no garden at all.
Composting not only allows us to grow our own food and take care of the natural environment around us, it also allows us to reduce the waste we send to landfill, or for processing outside of our homes.
Vermiculture can also be a way of to breed the worms themselves. And the worm themselves can become an additional yield. Some people who start a wormery decide do so in order to breed worms for feeding fish. Wormery can also be bred as an additional food source for other domestic animals such as backyard chickens, while worm poop can be great fertilizer.
MATERIALS REQUIRED FOR VERMICOMPOSTING
· Food waste should consist of fruit and vegetable scarpa. Acidic items such as citrus, onions and hot peppers must be avoided. Meat, dairy and oils should be kept out of the bin as they will cause odors and attract pests.
· Crop leftovers
· Excitement from cattle
· Leaves, dried
· Agro-industrial waste
· Shed
· Pits
· Availability of water
· Earthworms.
“As a result, marking vermicompost as a lucrative and expanding industry “
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