Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
TABLE 19.6
Response to Media Use by University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Bangalore, for
Dissemination of Technology and the Range of Vermicompost Production by Different
Groups on Random Data Collection
Average Vermicompost
Media Response
Different Categories
Production (kg/mo)
Different Media
Response (%)
Activity Groups
%
Range
%
Newspapers, magazines, and
topics
48
Individuals from rural areas
55
<100
100Ï200
200Ï500
500Ï1,000
1,000Ï2,000
2,000Ï3,000
3,000Ï5,000
5,000Ï10,000
10,000Ï50,000
35
23
12
12
10
3
2
2
1
Radio and television
7
Individuals from urban areas
15
Workshops and exhibitions
10
Nongovernment organizations
10
From the Centre (UAS)
14
Entrepreneurs
10
Other than UAS
20
Industrial units
5
serve as practical tools to facilitate these functions. Just as the truth lies in their serving as ÑnatureÔs
plowman,Ò as Aristotle suggested, they act as natureÔs gift to produce good humus, which is a most
precious material to fulfill the need of crops.
Table 19.6 and
Table 19.7
p
rovide information on the feedback received from randomly selected
individuals who are using earthworms to produce vermicomposts. Information on the quality of
compost produced by them, its utility, and their opinion on the use of manure for different crops
is furnished to summarize the success story of vermicomposting in the state of Karnataka.
THE STATUS OF VERMICULTURE AND VERMICOMPOSTING AT
THE TURN OF THE CENTURY
The trend in the selection of earthworm species for vermicomposting in different places has
remained the same, and the most accepted species is
E. fetida
. Blakemore (2000) reported the use
of
for vermicomposting in Australia.
He suggested that research should be targeted at studies on the taxonomy and behavior of earth-
worms to understand their adaptability to different organic wastes and to different environmental
conditions. This could provide opportunity to maintain polycultures of earthworms rather than the
current dependency on
Anisochaeta buckerfieldi
and another species of
Anisochaeta
for organic waste management.
Interest in producing vermicomposts from available wastes is increasing, and organic waste avail-
ability ranges from individual homes to small farms to communities in cities. Based on this, much
research has gone into this aspect to provide different types of bins and vermicomposting containers
for users. The bins are marketed under different brand names. The concept of safe and scientific handling
of decomposable organic wastes has become an element of awareness programs. At present, in India,
when compared with the previous decade, vermicomposting has become a common part of the activities
in villages, in agro-based industries (especially the breweries and distilleries), and in residential areas
in cities. This has been achieved through extensive outreach programs, such as organized meetings by
government and nongovernmental organizations, exhibitions, popular articles in print media, and field
E. fetida
