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Breaks the monotony of monocropping with vermicompost and reaps high profits
Tumkurlahalli village in Chitradurga district, Karnataka never experienced remunerative farming! Reasons were low rainfall (less than 500 mm) and red sandy soil. The village farmers have always been stuck to monocropping of groundnut since past 30 years! To break the monotony, progressive farmer Mr. Chandranna decided to produce vermicompost and apply it on his field having ragi cultivation. “In the year 2003 I took the double risk at the same time, rearing earthworms to produce vermicompost and growing ragi. By God’s grace I attained success in both trials. With 2 kg earthworms I could produce 2 qunital vermicompost. It was applied on my 2 acre farmland having ragi crop. Consequently I could harvest 14 qunital ragi from 2 acres,” he shares. Seeing the positive results he continued producing vermicompost for his farm and later started selling the worms and vermicompost to other farmers.
Mr. Chandranna has two vermicompost tanks of size 6x6 ft. In these tanks he converts agriculture waste and crop residues into beneficial manure. "I collect the waste from my own fields and around the village. Four pongemia trees in my farm, coir of coconut, trees along the canal and dry eucalyptus leaves are collected and turned into useful compost by exotic breeds of earthworm namely Eisenia Fetida and Eudrilus Euginie.
The process of vermicompost begins with 1st tank by putting the first layer of dry grass and leaves of Millettia Pinnata (honge). The next layer is of all the agri waste and crop residues collected that gets covered with tamarind leaves and stems. On the top of the 2nd layer dried cow dung is added along with red soil and jaggery syrup. Then cow dung slurry and water is sprinkled. Then after the tank is fully covered with gunny bags and allowed to rot for 20 days. “Next the gunny bags are removed and the mixture in the tank is given a thorough mix and left to rest for another 15 days. It is done to allow the heat to pass through and cool down the temperature. Finally after 35 days, when the waste is blended well 2 kg earthworms are added. As the earthworms are added in 1st tank I start filling the 2nd tank in the same sequence of arranging the biomass,” he explains. Earthworms convert the waste into compost in 25 days. Hence it is 60 days period for preparing the vermicompost. In the same way the process continues. “Post 60 days we take the compost from the 1st tank layer by layer allowing the worms to move to the 2nd tank from the holes.” 2 quintal natural manure is obtained from each tank.
When asked the need for adding jaggery in the biomass, Mr. Chandranna clarifies, “Jaggery helps to increase the number of worms. So we add 0.5kg jaggery. We sprinkle jaggery water on dung slurry and then closed with gunny bag to avoid evaporation of moisture.”
Seeing his success other farmers too in his village have started vermicompost units. They take guidance and buy earthworms from Mr. Chandranna. “I sell earthworms at nominal price because I want more and more farmers to use vermicompost and increase their respective farm production. I share my knowledge with them as required. I am selling manure as well in the customized packs,” he states.
He adds, “Vermicompost has been a boon for me. Earlier I used to grow only groundnut in the farm but now I have gained the confidence to grow other crops too such as different kinds of millets, chickpea and pigeonpea etc. I continue to grow groundnut. The quality of my farm produce has improved remarkably.” All the produce is sold in local markets.
Mr. Chandranna has bought immense change in his life by trying something new with 100% belief, persistence and affirmative attitude. Today he finds the entire process to be easy but during the initial stages (before 2003) it was full of challenges such as mortality of earthworm, arranging the biomass in right sequence, proportion of cow dung etc. To avoid these issues he insists farming community to take up formal training before venturing into vermicompost production commercially. He gives credit for his success in agriculture and well-being to AME Foundation for being there for him and providing required guidance and earthworms.
In time to come he wants to grow seasonal vegetables and other horticulture products too but due to scarcity of water he is not able to progress further. “I will find the solution to water problem as well! I strongly feel there is an alternative practice available to every problem in farming. It totally depends on us how we decide to handle the tribulations. Besides the process of solving the problem is an interesting learning curve too! I learnt vermicomposting to solve problem of low farm production and less income. Inspite of initial failure I got the success!” he concludes.
Contact details:
Mr. M. Chandranna
S/o Gurukmallaiah, Tumkurlahalli Post, Molakalmuru Taluk, Chitradurga District – 577 535, Karnataka
Phone: +91 9900545960
Tumkurlahalli village in Chitradurga district, Karnataka never experienced remunerative farming! Reasons were low rainfall (less than 500 mm) and red sandy soil. The village farmers have always been stuck to monocropping of groundnut since past 30 years! To break the monotony, progressive farmer Mr. Chandranna decided to produce vermicompost and apply it on his field having ragi cultivation. “In the year 2003 I took the double risk at the same time, rearing earthworms to produce vermicompost and growing ragi. By God’s grace I attained success in both trials. With 2 kg earthworms I could produce 2 qunital vermicompost. It was applied on my 2 acre farmland having ragi crop. Consequently I could harvest 14 qunital ragi from 2 acres,” he shares. Seeing the positive results he continued producing vermicompost for his farm and later started selling the worms and vermicompost to other farmers.
Mr. Chandranna has two vermicompost tanks of size 6x6 ft. In these tanks he converts agriculture waste and crop residues into beneficial manure. "I collect the waste from my own fields and around the village. Four pongemia trees in my farm, coir of coconut, trees along the canal and dry eucalyptus leaves are collected and turned into useful compost by exotic breeds of earthworm namely Eisenia Fetida and Eudrilus Euginie.
The process of vermicompost begins with 1st tank by putting the first layer of dry grass and leaves of Millettia Pinnata (honge). The next layer is of all the agri waste and crop residues collected that gets covered with tamarind leaves and stems. On the top of the 2nd layer dried cow dung is added along with red soil and jaggery syrup. Then cow dung slurry and water is sprinkled. Then after the tank is fully covered with gunny bags and allowed to rot for 20 days. “Next the gunny bags are removed and the mixture in the tank is given a thorough mix and left to rest for another 15 days. It is done to allow the heat to pass through and cool down the temperature. Finally after 35 days, when the waste is blended well 2 kg earthworms are added. As the earthworms are added in 1st tank I start filling the 2nd tank in the same sequence of arranging the biomass,” he explains. Earthworms convert the waste into compost in 25 days. Hence it is 60 days period for preparing the vermicompost. In the same way the process continues. “Post 60 days we take the compost from the 1st tank layer by layer allowing the worms to move to the 2nd tank from the holes.” 2 quintal natural manure is obtained from each tank.
When asked the need for adding jaggery in the biomass, Mr. Chandranna clarifies, “Jaggery helps to increase the number of worms. So we add 0.5kg jaggery. We sprinkle jaggery water on dung slurry and then closed with gunny bag to avoid evaporation of moisture.”
Seeing his success other farmers too in his village have started vermicompost units. They take guidance and buy earthworms from Mr. Chandranna. “I sell earthworms at nominal price because I want more and more farmers to use vermicompost and increase their respective farm production. I share my knowledge with them as required. I am selling manure as well in the customized packs,” he states.
He adds, “Vermicompost has been a boon for me. Earlier I used to grow only groundnut in the farm but now I have gained the confidence to grow other crops too such as different kinds of millets, chickpea and pigeonpea etc. I continue to grow groundnut. The quality of my farm produce has improved remarkably.” All the produce is sold in local markets.
Mr. Chandranna has bought immense change in his life by trying something new with 100% belief, persistence and affirmative attitude. Today he finds the entire process to be easy but during the initial stages (before 2003) it was full of challenges such as mortality of earthworm, arranging the biomass in right sequence, proportion of cow dung etc. To avoid these issues he insists farming community to take up formal training before venturing into vermicompost production commercially. He gives credit for his success in agriculture and well-being to AME Foundation for being there for him and providing required guidance and earthworms.
In time to come he wants to grow seasonal vegetables and other horticulture products too but due to scarcity of water he is not able to progress further. “I will find the solution to water problem as well! I strongly feel there is an alternative practice available to every problem in farming. It totally depends on us how we decide to handle the tribulations. Besides the process of solving the problem is an interesting learning curve too! I learnt vermicomposting to solve problem of low farm production and less income. Inspite of initial failure I got the success!” he concludes.
Contact details:
Mr. M. Chandranna
S/o Gurukmallaiah, Tumkurlahalli Post, Molakalmuru Taluk, Chitradurga District – 577 535, Karnataka
Phone: +91 9900545960