Farmers replace chemical fertiliser with vermicompost

Vermicompost fertilizer is gaining popularity in three unions under Fulchhari upazila of the district as it gives higher yield of crops than chemical fertilizers and also increases fertility of the soil.

Vermicompost fertilizer is produced from natural inputs and farmers need to spend very little money to make it, whereas chemical fertilizers are costly. Over three hundred people in the unions are producing vermicompost fertilizer in their houses and selling it.

According to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) in the district, this fertilizer is environment friendly and economical. Poor and marginal farmers are getting much benefit using vermicompost fertilizer. The fertilizer has eight different qualities for enhancing fertility of the land and reducing production cost.

The number of farmers using vermicompost fertilizer is increasing in different areas. In Fulchhari upazila, farmers of Kanchipara, Uriya and Fazlupur unions are producing such fertilizer commercially, and many of them have changed their lives by selling it.

On a visit to Madanerpara village in Kanchipara union, this correspondent saw farmer Ashutosh Barman working in his vermicompost unit, where he has set up half-a-dozen concrete rings for producing natural fertilizer.

"Vermicompost is being sold at Tk 10 per kilogram and earthworm at Tk .50 per piece. As such, I could earn some additional income from compost fertilizer after using in my crop fields," Ashutosh said.

Shakina Bewa, another farmer of Kalasona village in Uriya union, said, "I collect cow dung and place it on a polythene sheet in a ditch for 12 days. Then I add earthworms and cover the mixture with gunny bags for 15 days. It is ready for use as compost fertilizer after separation of the earthworms."

Rahmat Ali a chili grower of Nischintapur village in Fazlupur union, said, "I achieved a higher yield of chili last year using vermicompost fertilizer than those who used chemical fertilizer."

"I have said farewell to chemical fertilizers, as fertility of the land increased after using compost fertilizer," he added.

Even women farm labourers have started production of vermicompost fertilizer and changed their livelihood pattern, said Protima Chakkravarti, an NGO worker.

"As vermicompost is gaining popularity among the farmers, the dependence on chemical fertilizer is reducing. The fertilizer is cheaper and increases the fertility of the land, and it is also environment friendly," said AKM Ruhul Amin, deputy director, Gaibandha DAE.