Impact Of Demonstration Of Vermy Composting For The Benefit Of Sc St Population In The Washim District Of Maharashtra

IMPACT OF DEMONSTRATION OF VERMY				Maloji Rajaram Surkute
COMPOSTING FOR THE BENEFIT OF SC ST				Ghonsar
POPULATION IN THE WASHIM DISTRICT OF				Soybean (TAMS-38)
MAHARASHTRA				1
� P.P.Shelke, Principal				5 tonne
Investigator				17.30
Background:-				15.90
Washim District is situated in Vidarbha region
of Maharashtra. Earlier it was in Akola District of				Maloji Rajaram Surkute
Maharasshtra. The District was earmarked with				Ghonsar
remote distance from Distarict Place of Akola. The				Gram (JAKI-9218
population of the district was mostly tribal and SC and				1
ST communities. The education level was not so high				5 tonne
and the major source of Income was the Agriculture				16.80
Land. This is the case when the KVK was				15.10
established in 1994 at Risod.
KVK scientist have studied the basic needs of				f)To organize Vermy mela to popularize the Vermy
the farmers and it was observed that the majority of				technology and use of Vermy compost among the
farmers were not using balanced fertilizers and also				farmers.
the balanced use of organic inputs was not there.
Therfore, it was decided to start the work from the				Vermy Mela's were organized at KVK, Karda
poorest of the poor in the adjacent area of KVK				Campus. About 600 farmers participated in mela. KVK
Headquarters. The scientists together collectively				Scientist has explained the benefits of Vermy
chaklked out a programme and it was submitted to				compost and organic farming to all the participant.
Department of Biotechnology New Delhi. The				Participant has also visited to KVK Vermy culture unit
working of the project was during 2002-03 to				where the Vermy compost technology has been
2004-05.				practically demonstrated to them.

Interventions:-				9)Details of field demonstrations laid under the project:-

The prggramme was chalked out to cover 150				Table :- Vermicompost Trial Production Data (Kharif
beneficiery phasewise in a period of three years to				2004 & Rabi
know the benefits of organic farming. The starting				2004-05).
was to be made from Vermy composting and later on
the process of Organic certification was aimed at.				S.N.
				Name of farmers
Objectives of the Demonstration:-				Village
				Crop
- a) To Educate 300 SC and ST beneficiaries about				Area of crop (ha)
the advantage of bio-farming and organic farming,				Quantity of vermicompost (Qt.) used
- b) To take utmost economic advantage of all waste,				Yield (Q/ha) with fertilizer doze
agriculture residue and cow dung in best productive				( farmers practice)
manner.				Yield (Q/ha) with application of vermy compost.
- c) To set up suitably scaled Vermy compost unit on				1
the land of 50 beneficiaries and provide hands on				Ramji Dagduji Kokate
training and use.
- d) To provide technical and managerial backup to the				Ghonsar
units, thus set up including marketing assistance.				Soyabean
- e) To conduct Vermy compost application trials on				(TAMS-38 variety)
total 5 ha area in main agronomical and horticultural				1
crop.				10 q/ha
- f) To organize Vermy mela to popularize the Vermy				19.20
technology and use of Vermy compost among the				19.40
farmers.

Achievements:-				Ramji Dagduji Kokate
				Ghonsar
- A) To Educate 300 SC and ST beneficiaries about				Gram
the advantage of				(JAKI-9218)
bio-farming and organic farming.				1
				10 q/ha
The training for 300 beneficiaries is completed. Training				16.90
in other villages is still continuing. We are also				17.10
incorporating the need of vermy composting in almost				2
all training events. Farmers are being taken to the				Chandrabhaga Shankar Karale
working demonstration units for getting better				Ghonsar
understanding of the concept.				Soyabean (TAMS-38)
b)To take utmost economic advantage of all waste,				1
agriculture residue and cow dung in best productive				10 q/ha
manner.				18.40
				18.60
Initially the concentration was on mass multiplication of
the earthworms. The mass multiplication is the only				Chandrabhaga Shankar Karale
way for expansion of the project. People are using				Ghonsar
best quality feed for the earthworms. Upon getting the				Gram (JAKI-9218
sufficient quantity of the earthworms, the people will				1
concentrate on large scale production of the vermy				10 q/ha
compost. Initially the material being used is cow dung.				17.20
People have been convinced of using other waste				17.10
material for production of the vermy compost.				3
c)To set up suitably scaled Vermy compost unit on				Haribhau Shivram Fufate
the land of 50 beneficiaries and provide hands on				Ghonsar
training and use.				Soyabean (TAMS-38)
				1
Total 150-vermicompost unit are constructed on the				10 q/ha
land of 150 SC/ST beneficiaries during the total three				18.90
year period. In addition other farmers from General				18.77
categories are also motivated to have small units from
their own resources. However, the assistance				Haribhau Shivram Fufate
provided is extremely useful and people will definitely				Ghonsar
get the advantage of higher economic returns for their				Gram (JAKI-9218
future. On the spot regular skill development training				1
are being conducted. One such skilled worker is also				10 q/ha
temporarily employed for the work.				16.75
				16.87
d) To provide technical and				4
managerial backup to the units, thus set				Shamrao Sampat Pande
up including marketing				Ghonsar
assistance.				Soyabean (TAMS-38)
				1
The produce is being sold collectively. Marketing linkage				10 q/ha
is given through KVK, Many farmers are regularly				18.70
visiting the KVK. We are continuously offering them				18.65
the produce of farmers. The demand is tremendous
and we are presently unable to fulfill the demand.				Shamrao Sampat Pande
e) To conduct Vermy compost application trials on				Ghonsar
total 10 ha area in main agronomical and horticultural				Gram (JAKI-9218
crop.				1
				10 q/ha
The trials of the vermy compost are laid down in				16.70
soybean (Kharif 2004 ) and Bengal gram (2004-05).				16.87
However, as the quantity of the produce was less and				5
many beneficiaries are using the material in their own				Ginaji Niloba Ghukase
field, we have selected total Five beneficiaries for				Ghonsar
conducting the trial on five ha. area in each of the				Soyabean (TAMS-38)
above crop as per the target of the current year i.e.				1
during 2004-05.				10 q/ha
				17.30
Economic Benefits:-				17.25
The farmers started production of vermy
compost and saved lot of expenditure on fertilizers.
Some have reported better soil health and some have				Ginaji Niloba Ghukase
shown that the soil became live with existence of				Ghonsar
earthworms alround the year including summer.				Gram (JAKI-9218
				1
Following data shows the exact picture of the				10 q/ha
reaults obtained with use of Vermy compost alone				16.80
and also with addition of fertlize.				16.88
				Conclusion of the trials of Vermy compost application:-
Some farmers have reported that they have
got economic adavbantage as high as Rs. 50000 per				- 1) The yield data of the trial revealed that their will be
annum due to sell of earthworm culture. This is one				a 0.16% increase in the yield in the soyabean crop due
of the major economic gains out of this work. By				to the application of alone Vermicompost @ 10 qt/ per
adopting the technology of this project one such big				hactre as compared to farmers practice/ local check
production unit in Adjacent district of Buldhana is				(with chemical fertilizer).
producting about 2 tonnes per day of the vermy				- 2) In the soyabean crop the following major
compost, about 1 quintles of verms per week and				observation was noted in Vermicompost applied trial.
about 1 tonne of vermy wash per month.				- a) Crop found to be tollerent to girdle beetle as
				compared to local check.
				- b) Soyabean Crop in the trial found to be
Table :- Vermicompost Trial economic benefits				comparatively tollerent to water stress in the dry spell
				as water holding capacity of the soil has found to be
S.N.				improved.
Name of farmers				- c) Drainage property of the soil in the trial has found
Village				to be improved.
Crop				- 3) The yield data of the trial revealed that their will be
Area of crop (ha)				a 0.53% increased in the yield in the gram crop due to
Quantity of vermicompost (Qt.) used				the application of alone Vermicompost @ 10 qt. per
Yield (Q/ha) with Vermycompost application				hactre as compared to local check i.e. farmers
Yield (Q/ha) without used of vermy compost.				practice with fertilizer application.
1
Chandrabhaga Shankar Karade				4)In the gram crop the following major observation
Ghonsar				noted in
Soybean				Vermicompost applied trial.
(TAMS-38 variety)				- a) Crop found to be tollerent to Heliothis as
1				compared to local check.
5 tonne				- b) Gram Crop in the trial found to be comparatively
19.20				tollerent to water stress in the dry spell as water
16.10				holding capacity of the soil has found to be improved.
				- c) Drainage property of the soil in the trial has found
Chandrabhaga Shankar Karade				to be improved.
Ghonsar				Employment Generation:-
Gram
(JAKI-9218)				Total 5 beneficiaries were not having any agriculture
1				land and they had taken up the activity as enterprise.
5 tonne				They have reported that they have earned about Rs.
16.90				1000 per month to Rs. 2000 per month.
15.30
2				Major Impression :
Subhash Bramhaji Jadhav
				Trial in both crop revealed that there is no significant
Ghonsar				difference in the yield with application of chemical
Soybean (TAMS-38)				fertilizer and Vermicompost on the other hand
1				Vermicompost application will result in reducing the
5 tonne				cost of production with increase in net profit in addition
18.40				to helping in maintaining the natural balance and with
15.90				out disturbing eco system which is the major
				objectives of the project.
Subhash Bramhaji Jadhav

Ghonsar				12. Summary
Gram (JAKI-9218
1				- a) Earth worm hatchery has been established at
5 tonne				KVK, Farm, which provides the basic earthworm
17.20				culture to all needy farmers in addition to 150 project
15.20				beneficiaries. Said unit is working as a practical
3				demonstration unit for needy farmers.
Laxman Ramji Gaikwad				- b) Total 1275kg of earthworm culture has been
Ghonsar				made available to different farmers through this
Soybean (TAMS-38)				hatchery.
1				- c) Total 150 vermicompost unit has been established
5 tonne				on the land of 150
18.90				- d) Beneficiaries having the average annual capacity
15.75				of 6 to 8 tonne which approximately saves their an
				amount of Rs. 5000/- annually which can be other
Laxman Ramji Gaikwad				wise invested in chemical fertilizer.
Ghonsar				- e) During the project period a booklet on
Gram (JAKI-9218				vermicompost technology has been published which
1				acts as a extension material for the disimination of the
5 tonne				technology.
16.75
15.40				The conclusion is summarized below.
4
Shayamrao Sampat Pande				- a) The project has created a small side business for
Ghonsar				the rural SC and ST people.
Soybean (TAMS-38)				- b) Farmers are convinced about the benefit of the
1				vermy compost and the demand for vermy compost
5 tonne				has increased.
18.70				- c) Technology transfer in this area is still needed and
16.60				at least two villages in every Tahsil will make the
				awareness creation and demonstration of the activity.
Shayamrao Sampat Pande				- d) Organic waste can be properly utilized and some
Ghonsar				income generation is also possible with little efforts.
Gram (JAKI-9218				- e) More such units are required and follow up is still
1				needed for demonstrating the success of the bio
5 tonne				technology. Agricultural labors can have a small
16.70				business and can get additional income with little
14.90				efforts.
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Impact Of Demonstration Of Vermy Composting For The Benefit Of Sc St Population In The Washim District Of Maharashtra