Vermi-composting: A Practical and Economic Way of Managing Farm Wastes and Reduce Farm Production Costs

The use of organic compost in farming is now totally advocated among farmers in region 02. There are many brands of organic compost available in the market but vermi compost is gaining popularity. Aside from its first class compost product, the farmers themselves can manufacture their own compost fertilizer requirement using farm wastes through the aid of vermi or earthworm, instead of buying.

This technology was introduced in the region by Ms. Rosalinda B. Lucero, one of the ATI-RTC Cabagan staff who attended the ‘International Training Course on Vermi-compost Production at PCAMARRD, Los Baños, Laguna. After her training, she established a her own vermi project in her backyard with only 1 kilo vermi she bought from Bay, Laguna amounting to P1,500.00 and made use of the available composting materials present in her backyard like rice straw, animal manures and other plant leaves and residues.

She started the project with the sole intention of producing her own vermi compost for personal use in her farm to improve its soil structure and make it more fertile. After 4 cropping seasons of continuous application of vermi compost, she discovered that the soil condition of her farm improved. Today, she is using only 4 bags of inorganic fertilizer instead of 6 bags she used to apply - a decrease of 2 bags from her cost of production.

With her experience, it is her desire to help other farmers experience the same cost reduction in their farming activities. So, she disseminated the technology during trainings, briefings or forums conducted by ATI-RTC Cagayan Valley. Farmers who learned about the technology got interested and find their way to visit her project at home. Her project became the show window of the office in Cabagan.

With Rose as our model in the office, Tess Frogoso and me is likewise engaging on the same project in our backyard which serves as show window for our neighboring farmers in our barangays. Our goal is to encourage the farmers to convert their farm wastes into organic fertilizers for their farm use to reduce their cost of production. This goal jibes with the DA-RFU 02 trust of promoting the use of organic fertilizer and encouraging the farmers to manufacture their own organic fertilizer for sustainability. The DA-RFU 02 and other government and non-government organizations are actually tapping the expertise of the staff of ATI-RTC Cabagan, Isabela in their trainings on organic fertilizer production.

The technology is so simple and farmer-friendly. All we need to invest for a start is a kilo of worm, 10 hallow blocks for the vermi bed and crop and animal residues as substrates. The vermi beds can be expanded even without investing on worms every time. The worms multiply faster depending upon the kind of substrates used. The technology is sustainable and environment-friendly.

We are currently conducting trials on the type of materials that enhances fast production of vermi worms and the types of materials that can produce high quality compost.

We hope to see our farmers become self-reliant in their farming enterprise.

(Source: Vermi composting as source of organic fertilizer gains its popularity in region 02)

(Edited by Jose Rey Alo - original submission Friday, 24 July 2009, 11:48 AM)