Farmers of the Khandbara and Sonpada region have always faced agricultural issues in terms of water availability and selling their produce at good prices. The Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) of this region took it upon themselves to educate the farmers on vermin culture production and related extension activities, to enhance the fertility of their soil and productivity of the land. They divided the farmers in the region into 11 units and provided 2 vermi beds per group, to start vermiculture preparation. With the help of the officials at Krishi Vigyan Kendra, the farmers became fertiliser entrepreneurs. They sold 60 kg of vermicompost and 130 kg of vermin culture at the rate of Rs 250/kg only in 2017-18. Currently 25 farmers are under KVK’s training program with the objective of empowering the farmers of the region. Vermicomposting has now become a social initiative as it becomes a source of livelihood for the farmers of Nandurbar district. In the near future they intend to start using garbage for composting as they restructure the concept of compost pits, earlier observed around houses.
From Vermicomposting to fertiliser Entrepreneurship
