RAJSHAHI, Feb 26: By preparing vermicompost, many poor women of various villages of Paba, Godagari, Tanore upazilas and Kantakhali municipality under the district are becoming self-reliant.
Vermicompost or worm castings are an organic form of fertilizer produced from earthworms. Worm castings manure is essentially earthworm waste. As these creatures eat through compost, their waste creates an optimal soil enriched. Worm castings resemble football-shaped particles that improve soil aeration and drainage, as well as increase water retention in the soil.
Kamrun Nahar of Bijoypur village under Manda upazila is a successful earth-worm cultivator. Reading upto secondary level, Kamrun abandoned her studies but she is now a successful farmer.
Kamrun Naher took a one-day training from an NGO in Rajshahi in 2014 and learnt how to prepare fertiliser from earthworm culture. After completion of training, she was given a large earthen pot, some earthworm and some materials to prepare vermicompost, a chemical free-fertiliser.
Kamrun Naher rears two milching cows and owns two calves. The main raw material used for making vermicompost is cow-dung. Cow dung mixed with sand is put in a plastic bag and the open end of the bag is fastened with a rope. The bag is then kept in a shady place for 10-12 day because by this time toxic gas is disposed off the cow dung. The cow dung then turned black in colour. Then those are taken out from inside the polythene bag and are mixed with slight water and kept in an earthen container. Some earth worms are added to the mixture and the earthen container is kept in a shady place. Within next 15 to 20 days, the vermicomost is ready for applying in the field.
Kamrun Naher informed, she used the vermicompost fertiliser in her own land. She produces brinjal, ginger, lau gourd), turmeric, bean and chilli by using the vermicompost. Moreover, she also uses the fertiliser at the bottom part of cocoanut tree. After using the compost in her own land, she has also sold that to the farmers at Tk 10 per kg and so far she has sold the compost amounting Tk 7,000. She mentioned, due to environment friendly and good productive value, demand for vermicompost was increasing day to day. Many of her neighbours were now showing interest to prepare vermicompost for their own use. She has also trained 15 people of surrounding areas on preparing of vermicompost.
Kamrun Naher further informed, whenever she started cultivation of earthworm, many neighbours detested her and her family members did not like it at all. But, now there was no resistance from anyone, said Kamrun. She said, she would like to set up a large vermicompost preparation farm if she gets economical support from any corner.
Jahangir Alam, upazila agriculture officer of Manda, said in many places of Rajshahi, Naogaon, Chapainawabganj and Natore districts, the cultivation of vertmicompost has started sporadically. There was no commercial entreprise so far. He assured to initiate farmers to increase vermicompost to increase productivity of their field and to save environmental degradation.
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