SKS Vermi Composting

SKS has taken up this program on its own initiative since 2018. SKS is launching the project by installing a total of 600 rings in its two sheds. In addition, 100 poor farmer entrepreneurs from Salandar and Gareya Unions of Thakurgaon Sadar Upazila have been added to the program. Five hundred metric tons of vermi compost has been set as the annual target. This vermi compost is sold through a total of 30 dealers in North Bengal of Bangladesh. After being used in SKS’s own Litchi Garden and Organic vegetables gardens, the remaining fertilizers are sold through these selected dealers.

 

Background of the program:

The economy of the northern part of Bangladesh is dependent on agriculture. Most of the people in this agriculturally dependent area are illiterate or poorly educated. Farmers in the area are using excessive chemical fertilizers in the land in the hope of higher yields. Excessive use of fertilizers is disturbing the balance of different soil nutrients or increasing the acidity/alkalinity of the soil. As a result the soil is becoming unproductive. At the same time the soil is losing both fertility and productivity. In agricultural lands where the organic matter content is said to be 3-5 per cent, it has come down to less than 1% in this area. On the other hand, the water holding capacity of the soil has decreased a lot. Besides, as a result of continuous cultivation in the land, deficiencies in some minor nutrients are being observed also. At the root of all these problems is the lack of organic matter in the soil. So there can be no alternative to using adequate organic manure in the soil to overcome all these problems. Our organization has taken initiative to produce and sell vermi compost manure as organic manure to overcome this problem. Since the raw material used in the production of vermi compost is household waste and domestic animal feces, which are scattered in every rural household. A special kind of earthworm which SKS already has in sufficient quantity, which will be provided free of cost at the farmer level.  Vermi compost is a type of organic fertilizer in which all the essential elements of the plant are in a suitable condition for the adoption of the plant. As a result, the tree can absorb it as soon as it is applied to the soil. Moreover, once vermi compost is applied to the soil, a large number of earthworm eggs are added to the soil along with the fertilizer, from which the larvae emerge and add to the soil, thus contributing to permanent soil fertility. As a result the use of this fertilizer will greatly reduce the production cost of the farmer. Vermi compost is one of the most widely used organic fertilizers in the world. Our past experience has shown that vermi compost can be easily cultivated in shaded areas of homes. Housewives can easily get involved in this work and find a permanent source of income. As a result, once neglected women can become self-sufficient by being associated with income. And in this way, increasing the income of women will increase their acceptance in the family and society and increase their decision making ability. Thus the neglected women will be empowered day to day. 

 

Program objectives:

  1. To increase the income of rural poor women farmers.
  2. To increase productivity by increasing the fertility of agricultural land.
  3. Reduce production costs in agriculture by reducing the use of chemical fertilizers.
  4. Promoting wellness through eating pure food.

 

Expected Result:

  1. The living standards of the rural poor will be improved.
  2. Vermi compost users will increase the percentage of organic matter in the soil.
  3. Reducing the widespread use of chemical fertilizers will improve the environment.
  4. The income of rural women will increase.
  5. The status of women in targeted families will be enhanced.

 

Geographical coverage:

Thakurgaon, Panchagor, Dinajpur, Nilphamari, Rangpur, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Gaibandha and Bogura district.