KELADI SHIVAPPA NAYAKA UNIVERSITY OF

AGRICULTURAL AND HORTICULTURAL SCIENCES,

IRUVAKKI
College of Agriculture, Shivamogga

AGRICULTURAL WASTE MANAGEMENT/MANAGEMENT

OF ORGANIC RESOURCES IN AGRICULTURE

EAG 422 (0+10)

Topic: Project Report on Vegetable waste unit

Submitted to:

Dr. H K Veeranna
Department of Agronomy
COA, Shivamogga
 Acknowledgement

We ‘Team Vegetable Waste Compost’ members i.e., Jayanth (BA1TAI058),

Vishwas CM (BA1TAIO163), Vinutha B.R (BA1TAI0161), Rakshitha
(BA1TAI0114), Arpitha BR (BA1TAI015) with a great pleasure presenting this
report of Experimental Learning Programme of Student ready programme
2022-23.

We are very grateful to the Dept. of Agronomy, College of Agriculture

Shivamogga for giving us an opportunity to attend the ELP programme during
the course of our degree programme.

We feel honoured to offer our sincere gratitude to all those people who have
helped in completing this programme. It gives us immense contentment in
expressing our gratitude and sincere thanks to Course teacher Dr H.K Veeranna
Sir, Dr. G.K Girijesh sir and Dr. Siddagangamma K.R ma’am, Department of
Agronomy for their valuable guidance, help and encouragement throughout the
course work.

Finally, we thank each and every one who has rendered the valuable suggestions
and services towards the completion of this course.

Last, but not the least, I would also like to thank our beloved friends who
accompanied us in our tasks even during odd hours and made us keep up the
enthusiasm regarding our tasks.

Date: 21/06/2023
Place: Shivamogga
 INDEX
Sl. No Content Page No
01 Introduction on Experiential Learning Programme 04
(ELP)
02 Objectives of ELP 04
03 Organizational setup of ELP 05
04 What is composting? 06
05 Potential uses of composting 06
06 Advantages of compost 07-09
07 Organic waste management 10-12
08 Use of community composting in vegetable waste 13
management
09 Waste management Functions 14-16
10 Different methods of composting 17-21
11 Factors affecting and Phases of composting 22-23
12 Compost enrichment 24-25
13 Economic and Social benefits of compost 26-27
14 What is Vegetable waste compost? 28
15 Benefits of Vegetable waste compost 29
16 Statistics of Vegetable Waste generated in India 30-31
17 Procedure for Vegetable waste composting 32-44

LIQUID ORGANIC MANURES

18 Beejamrutha 45-47
19 Jeevamrutha 48-50
20 Ghana Jeevamrutha 51-53

BOTANICAL PESTICIDES
21 Neemastra 54-55
22 Brahmastra 56-57
23 Dashaparni Kashaya 58-59
24 Project proposal for Vegetable waste composting 60-69
Unit
25 Socio-Economic Potentiality of Vegetable waste 70-74
compost
26 Glimpses of Krishi mela 75

27 Conclusion 76
 EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING PROGRAMME ON
VEGETABLE WASTE COMPOSTING

Experiential Learning programme is a major component of Student Rural Entrepreneurship

Awareness Development Yojana (READY). The word ‘experiential’ essentially means that
learning and development are achieved through personally determined experience and
involvement, rather than on received teaching or training, typically in group, by observation,
study of theory or hypothesis, and bring in innovation or some other transfer of skills or
knowledge. Experiential learning is a business curriculum-related endeavour which is
interactive and integrated learning system, which aims for promoting professional skills and
knowledge through hands on training/experience, building confidence and ability to work in
project mode and acquire enterprise management capabilities among the undergraduate
students. The programme has been designed with carefully calibrated activities which will
help the participants to explore and discover their own potential and both activities and
facilitation play a critical role in enhancing team performance. It is towards “Earning while
learning” and provides the students an excellent opportunity to develop analytical,
entrepreneurial skills and knowledge through meaningful hands-on experience, confidence in
their ability to design and execute project work. The objectives of Experiential Leaning
programme are: To promote professional skills and knowledge through meaningful hands-on
experience. To build confidence and to work in project mode. To acquire enterprise
management capabilities. The experiential learning programme (ELP) is offered for 180 days
(one semester) period in the final year of the undergraduate programme. As the programme is
enterprise oriented, students and faculty are expected to attend the activities of the enterprise
even on institutional holidays with total commitment, and without any time limit or
restriction of working hours for ELP

The main objectives of ELP are:

• To promote professional skills and knowledge through hands on experience.
• To build confidence and ability to work in project mode.
• To acquire enterprise management capabilities.
• To develop entrepreneurial skills among students.
Organizational set-up of the EL Unit:
To give the real experience and flavour of an enterprise to the students and other
organizations, each EL unit shall have the organizational set-up as follows:

The above organogram depicts the hierarchy of the enterprise. Advisors from the private
sectors can also be engaged for consultation for the programme, production and sales
profitability. The Head of the department where EL unit is proposed should identify suitable
faculty member with commitment as Manager of the EL programme. Another faculty
member should also be identified to assist the manager.
What Is Composting?
Composting is the natural process of recycling organic matter, such as leaves and food
scraps, into a valuable fertilizer that can enrich soil and plants. Anything that grows
decomposes eventually; composting simply speeds up the process by providing an ideal
environment for bacteria, fungi, and other decomposing organisms (such as worms,
sowbugs, and nematodes) to do their work. The resulting decomposed matter, which often
ends up looking like fertile garden soil, is called compost. Fondly referred to by farmers as
“black gold,” compost is rich in nutrients and can be used for gardening, horticulture, and
agriculture.

Organic discards can be processed in industrial-scale composting facilities, in smaller-scale

community composting systems, and in anaerobic digesters, among other options. This
guide focuses primarily on home composting, which is a great way to keep your organic
discards out of the waste stream and produce a valuable soil amendment for your own use.

Basic Compositing:
All compositing needs three vital components:

• Brown: This includes dead or dry leaves, wood shaving, pine needles, branches,
paper, shredded newspaper, wood ash, sawdust and twigs.

• Greens: This consists of vegetable scraps, fruit waste, fresh leaves, eggshells, dry
Plants and coffee residues.

• Water: Correct amount of water keeps the components moisture and helps in
compost development.

Potential Uses of Finished Compost

The composts prepared for use can be utilized by the following people:

1. Residential and agricultural user groups use it for soil amendment, fertilizer
supplement, top dressing for pastures or hay plant maintenance, and mulching fruit
trees.
2. Commercial user groups used it as soil amendments for the establishment of turf,
landscape plants and beds, potting mix components, topsoil substitute, peat substitutes,
and mulch fertilizer supplements.
3. Municipal User Groups use it to create soil cover, topsoil for road construction and road
work, and soil amendment mulch for landscaping.
Advantages of composting
Compost has been thought of as a useful soil amendment for many years. The majority of
people are aware that composts are an effective method to boost the health of plants, save
money, decrease the need for chemical fertilizers, and help conserve natural resources.
Compost offers an organic matter that is stable and enhances soil's physical, chemical, and
biological characteristics, improving the quality of soil and increasing crop production. If
properly applied, compost can have the following positive impacts on soil properties making
the soil suitable for root growth, increasing yield, and the quality of crops. The advantages of
Composting are mentioned below-

1) Enhances the Physical Properties of Soils

Reduces the soil bulk density and improves the soil structure directly by loosening heavy soils
with organic matter and indirectly by means of aggregate-stabilizing humus contained in
composts. Integrating composts into compacted soils can improve root penetration and turf
growth.

Enhances the capacity to hold water in the soil by binding organic matter to water and,
indirectly, by improving the soil's structure, thereby improving the absorption of and the
movement of water into the soil. Thus, the need for water and irrigation can be cut down.

Protects the soil's surface from wind and water erosion by decreasing the action of soil
dispersion by raindrops beating against the soil, increasing the infiltration rate, as well as
reducing water runoff and increasing the surface wetness. It is vital to prevent erosion to
safeguard waterways as well as maintain the efficiency and quality of the soil.

Helps in bringing the soil particles into crumbs through the actinomycetes mycelia, or fungi
that are found in compost and activated in the soil through its application, usually improving
the strength of the soil in the face of erosion by wind and water.

Improves soil aeration and ensures that the soil is oxygenated to the roots. It also eliminates
carbon dioxide that is trapped in the root.

It increases the temperature of the soil directly due to its dark color, which enhances heat
absorption through the soil. It also increases heat absorption indirectly through better soil
structure.

Helps regulate soil temperature and helps prevent extreme fluctuations in soil temperature,
which creates ideal soil for root growth. This is particularly true for compost that is used for
mulch on the surface.
2) Improves the Chemical Properties of Soils

Helps soils hold more plant nutrients and improves the Cation exchange capacity (CEC) and
anion exchange capacity (AEC) as well as the capacities for buffering of soils over longer
durations after the application of composts to soils. This is especially important for soils that
have little organic matter and clay.

Produces nutrients in the soil. Composts are a major source of nutrients needed by all plants:
N, P, K and calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and S] as well as essential trace elements or
micronutrients like copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), Boron (B) and
molybdenum (Mb).

The nutrients from mature composts are released to plants slowly and steadily. The benefits
last for longer than one season.

It stabilizes the volatile nitrogen of raw materials to form large protein particles when
composting, which reduces the loss of nitrogen.

Offers active agents, such as growth factors, that could be beneficial for germinating plants.

It also adds organic matter and humus that help improve soil health.

The soil buffers itself against the rapid changes caused by acidity, alkalinity and salinity,
pesticides, and harmful heavy metals.

3) Enhances soil's Biological Properties

Provides food and stimulates the development of beneficial microorganisms as well as

earthworms. Aids in fighting certain plant diseases, soilborne diseases, and parasites.Studies
have shown that composts are able to help fight the spread of plant disease (e.g., Pythium root
rot, Rhizoctonia roots rot chili wilt and parasitic nematodes) and decrease the losses of crops.
A large California grower of fruits and vegetables could reduce pesticide usage by 80%
following three years of applying compost in an organic matter control program. Studies have
also revealed that some composts, specifically ones made from tree bark, release chemical
compounds that can inhibit certain pathogens in plants. Control of diseases by compost is
attributed to four different mechanisms:

1. The successful competition with beneficial microorganisms for nutrients

2. The production of antibiotics by beneficial microorganisms
3. Successful predation of bacteria by beneficial microorganisms
4. Activation of genes that are resistant to disease in plants through composts
5. The extreme temperatures caused by composting kills pathogens. Eliminates weed
seeds through various factors, including the temperature that the compost heap
experiences, the rotting process, and premature germination.
4) Pollution Remediation

Absorbs odours and breaks down the volatile organic compound.

Binds heavy metals to prevent them from transferring into water sources or being absorbed by
plants.

Degrades and, in certain instances, completely removes petroleum-based products, wood

preservatives, pesticides, and chlorinated, as well as monochlorinated hydrocarbons found in
soils that have been contaminated.

5) Pollution Prevention

Eliminates methane production and the formation of leachate in landfills by reusing organics
to compost.

Absorbs odours and neutralizes volatile organic compounds. Keeps stormwater pollutants out
of runoff from reaching the water sources and helps protect groundwater quality.

Reduces the risk of erosion and loss of turf on hillsides, roadsides, playing fields, and golf
courses.

Eliminates odours from agricultural areas.

Composting manure from raw sources can help reduce the possibility of nuisance or
environmental issues. Manure that is raw is among the main causes of pollution of waterways,
and the smell that farms emit is thought to be a major issue in rural areas.

6) Composting could bring a variety of economic benefits to communities

It prolongs the life of landfills currently in use and delays building a costlier new landfill. It
also allows for the construction of an incinerator or replacement.

Reduces or eliminates landfill and the combustor tipping fee, and helps reduce costs for
disposal of waste and transportation costs for long distances.

New jobs are created for citizens.

Offers marketable products as well as an alternative that is less expensive than standard landfill
covers, artificial soil amendments, and traditional bioremediation method
Organic waste Management:
Solid waste in rural areas I t is estimated that 0.3 to 0.4 million metric tons of solid waste are
generated in rural areas per day (NIRD, 2016). Organic waste constitutes about 60–80 per cent
of this waste. Cattle dung and crop residues constitute a major part of organic waste, which is
estimated to be 1,650 million ton/day and 650 to 725 million ton, respectively. Biodegradable
waste is generally composed of kitchen waste (fruit/vegetable peels, leftover food) and animal
waste, crop residues and market waste.

Components of biodegradable waste management

The components of biodegradable waste management include:

» Segregation

» Collection and transportation

» Treatment

» Disposal: Due to smaller quantities of biodegradable waste (from household chores,

excluding agriculture and livestock-related biodegradable waste), local usage (at generation
level itself) and its resource value, its management does not need all the steps mentioned above
in rural areas.

» Segregation of waste: As far as possible, solid waste should be managed at the household
level so that minimum waste is delivered for management at the community level. This may
involve the following steps:

» Household waste should be segregated at the source. This can be achieved by generating
awareness among people to segregate waste at the household level into dry and wet waste in
two different bins/containers.

» Reusable segregated non-biodegradable waste may be reused at the household level or sold
to the recyclers.
Degeneration and Decaying of Waste a necessary evil

Crop residues are the remains of plants that are left in the field after harvesting and thrashing
of the crops. These residues are a good source of plant nutrients, as quite a good amount of
the nutrients absorbed from the soil remains in the residues. These residues can be converted
into the compost of better quality, and its use can help to sustain or even improve crop yield.
Therefore, efficient crop residue management can play a vital role in restoring soil
productivity as well as in increasing the fertiliser use efficiency (FUE). Organic wastes are
generated regularly at the farm as well as at household levels, and disposal of such waste is a
serious problem. These wastes either burnt or used as landfills, which is a poor utilisation of a
very useful resource. Many times, improper disposal of waste may become hazardous, and it
may contaminate the ecosystem. On other hands, this organic waste can be a good source of
nutrient when decomposed properly. The nutrients present in the wastes can be effectively
used as organic manure for increasing the agricultural productivity besides having
environmental benefits. Burning of crop residues in fields: Farmers use residues for their own
needs or sell to other landless households. Farmers intentionally burn the surplus residues for
clearing of the fields, fertility enhancement in the form of ash addition and pest and pasture
management.
The common practices of disposing of waste are dumping it from out of sight of ordinary
people. However, it does not solve the problem but indirectly increases the same manifold and
sometimes it goes beyond the control of everybody. The consequences of this practice such as
health hazards, pollution of soil, water, air & food, unpleasant surroundings, loss of precious
resources that could be obtained from the solid waste, etc. are well known (Agarwal et al.,
2015).

Many times, when we roam in any village, we may encounter the heaps of partially rotten
organic residues left beside the pathways emitting some off smell and polluting the
environment. The situation further darkens when the village does not have adequate sanitation
facilities as a rising population, and declining vegetation cover is demanding. This scene does
not create the positive image of the people residing and on other hands, it also shows the lack
of awareness about the ways to convert the waste into a high-quality product the BLACK
GOLD or say compost. The decomposition of waste into constituent chemicals is a common
source of local environmental pollution.

This problem is quite acute in developing nations. The release of foul-smelling gases is a major
environmental concern by decomposing garbage. Methane released from decomposing garbage
is a by-product of the anaerobic respiration that contributes to the greenhouse effect and climate
change. During degeneration process, the organic material is subjected to the activities of many
micro- organisms. Often the disease-causing organisms find rotting garbage as a safe place to
multiply, and then they spread all around causing diseases in human beings, animals and plants.
This decomposition is a necessary evil, though it looks unpleasant, it helps in cleaning. Imagine
if there would not have been this decomposition and decaying process then what would have
been happened.

The land where we are living would have been full of residues and dead. Even the faeces would
not disappear from the earth. We can easily imagine what a possible place the earth will
become. No plant will be able to absorb any nutrients from the soil or synthesise any food
through photosynthesis, nor can any animal or human being eat and digest any food. Therefore,
decomposition or decaying is virtually a blessing in disguise, and it had made the earth a
beautiful place for living and cultivating, as nature has created the process to clean the
environment so the new one may have sufficient space to dwell. Since decomposition is
necessary and unavoidable, so it is important to handle it properly.

Therefore, decomposition of biomass/organic material may be done in the presence of oxygen

using micro-organisms that will not create unsanitary conditions and even a valuable product
as organic manures will be obtained.
Use of Community Composting to manage Vegetable waste:
Community composting is a process of composting programme through people’s participation
starting from source separation of waste, composting of biodegradables in community area and
translocation of recyclables and other waste in organized way. Community composting has a
tremendous potential as a green entrepreneurship which reduces environmental externalities,
waste disposal transportation cost, sustains soil health and agricultural production over a long
period of time.

Community composing programme can be flexibly implemented at different levels, from

household efforts to large-scale centralized facilities can be started with very little capital and
operating costs at different community. It can provide an excellent opportunity to improve a
city’s overall waste collection program and integrate existing informal sectors involved in the
collection, separation and recycling of wastes.

It increases overall waste diversion from final disposal, enhances recycling and incineration
operations by removing organic matter from the waste stream at source and thus reduces
landfill space, produces a valuable soil amendment—integral to sustainable agriculture,
reduce soil erosion, surface and ground water contamination, emission of greenhouse gases,
air pollution, growth and spread of disease vectors and thus reduces human health related
problems of waste pickers and people residing near land fill area. Successful community
composing programme has to have prerequisites attention to the biological processes; vision
and marketing plans for the final compost product; ample feed stock which yields quality
finished compost; integration with the agricultural community and compost land.

Government bodies should walk to community for providing technical assistance, arranging
loans and other financial support, allocating land for compost facilities on a long term lease
basis, in public private partnership mode and should also work for developing guidelines,
enforcing compost quality standards, promoting the use of compost through public awareness
campaigns, encourage the use of compost in agriculture and public works and finally mediating
a shift from chemical fertilizer alone to a sustainable blending of chemical fertilizers with
compost. Movement cannot combat alone; community participation is essential. As growth of
the society can only be possible through cooperation of community so community participation
is indispensable for success of clean India movement. It is small step towards cleanliness, but
will be a giant leap towards healthy and prosperous development of India.
Waste management functions:
An argil waste management consists of six basic functions,

• Production
• Collection
• Transfer
• Storage
• Treatment
• Utilization
For a specific system, these functions may be combined, repeated, eliminated, or rearranged as
necessary.

a. Production:
Production is the function of the amount and nature of agricultural waste generated by
an agricultural enterprise. The waste requires management if the quantity produced is sufficient
enough to become a resource concern. A complete analysis of production includes the kind,
consistency, volume, location, and timing of the waste produced.
The waste management system may need to accommodate seasonal variations in the rate
of production. The production of unnecessary waste should be kept to a minimum. For
example, a large part of the waste associated with many livestock operations includes
contaminated runoff from open holding areas. The runoff can be reduced by restricting the size
of open holding areas, roofing part of the holding area, and installing gutters and diversions to
direct uncontaminated water away from the waste. In other words, whenever possible, “Keep
the clean water clean.”
Leaking watering facilities and spilled feed contribute to the production of waste. These
problems can be reduced by careful management and maintenance of feeders, watering
facilities, and associated equipment. A record should be kept of the data, assumptions, and
calculations used to determine the kind, consistency, volume, location, and timing of the waste
produced. The production estimates should include future expansion.

b. Collection:
Collection refers to the initial capture and gathering of the waste from the point of origin
or deposition to a collection point. The AWMS plan should identify the method of collection,
location of the collection points, scheduling of the collection, labour requirements, necessary
equipment or structural facilities, management and installation costs of the components, and
the impact that collection has on the consistency of the waste.
c. Transfer:
Transfer refers to the movement and transportation of the waste throughout the system.
It includes the transfer of the waste from the collection point to the storage facility, to the
treatment facility, and to the utilization site. The waste may actually be transferred several times
before utilization.
For example, a liquid or slurry waste may be collected, transferred to a storage facility,
and then to a solid/ liquid separator (treatment). From there, the solid portion may be transferred
to another storage facility for additional treatment or reutilized as bedding, while the liquid
portion is applied (transferred) to a crop field to supply plant nutrients (utilization). The waste
may require transfer as a solid, liquid, or slurry, depending on the TS concentration.
The system plan should include an analysis of the consistency of the waste to be moved,
method of transportation, distance between transfer points, frequency and scheduling,
necessary equipment, and installation and management costs of the transfer system.

d. Storage:
Storage is the temporary containment of the waste. The storage facility of a waste
management system is the tool that gives the manager control over the scheduling and timing
of the system functions. For example, with adequate storage, the manager has the flexibility to
schedule the land application of the waste when the spreading operations do not interfere with
other necessary tasks, weather and field conditions are suitable and the nutrients in the waste
can best be used by the crop. The storage period should be determined by the utilization
schedule.
The waste management system should identify the storage period; required storage
volume; type, estimated size, location, and installation cost of the storage facility; management
cost of the storage process; and impact of the storage on the consistency of the waste.

e. Treatment:
Treatment is any function designed to reduce the pollution potential or modify the
physical characteristics of the waste, such as moisture and TS content, to facilitate more
efficient and effective handling. Manure treatment is comprised of physical, biological, and
chemical unit processes. It also includes activities that are sometimes considered pretreatment,
such as the separation of solids.
The plan should include an analysis of the characteristics of the waste before treatment;
a determination of the desired characteristics of the waste following treatment; selection of the
type, estimated size, location, and installation cost of the treatment facility; and management
cost of the treatment process. Some manure management treatment options include solid/ liquid
separation, anaerobic digestion, thermo-chemical conversion, and anaerobic and aerobic
treatment lagoons.
f. Utilization:
Utilization includes reusing and/or recycling of waste products. Agricultural wastes may
be used as a source of energy, bedding, mulch, organic matter, or plant nutrients. Properly
treated, they can be marketable.
A common practice is to recycle the nutrients in the waste through land application. A
complete analysis of utilization through land application includes selecting the fields;
scheduling applications; designing the distribution system; selecting necessary equipment; and
determining application rates and volumes, value of the recycled products, and installation and
management costs associated with the utilization process.

Factors affecting process of Composting:

Composting is a microbial-driven process. Like other living creatures, microbes need right
environment to survive and thrive. For compost to do well, microbes need nutritious ‘food’,
which they get from suitable moisture, temperature, and aeration (oxygen).

Aeration: Oxygen is essential for respiration of aerobic microorganisms. Without sufficient

oxygen, the process will become anaerobic and produce undesirable odours. Sometimes, you
might get the rotten-egg smell of hydrogen sulfide gas too. Therefore, you need to maintain
aerobic conditions. This is simple: mix and turn as frequently as necessary or at least once
daily.

Moisture: A moisture content of 50 – 60% is generally considered optimum for composting.

(i) Too little moisture (say, less than 30%) inhibits bacterial activity.

(ii) too much moisture (more than 65%) results in slow decomposition, odour production and
nutrient leaching.

How to understand the moisture level?

Squeeze a handful of well-mixed compost or raw material. If your hand becomes moist but
without any drops of moisture forming, the moisture content is optimal. If water trickles out
when compost is squeezed, it is too wet. It indicates that you need to add some garden soil or
saw dust or shredded papers or fully dried leaves in order to bring it to the optimum level. If
the compost crumbles, it is too dry. That means you need to sprinkle some water and enhance
the moisture level. Temperature: At certain temperatures certain microorganisms are most
active. Generally, in a range of 50-to-65-degree Celsius proper composting takes place.
Actively working microbes can raise the pile’s temperature by as much as 60 – 65 degrees
Celsius. The temperature in your compost determines how much and how often aeration is
required.
Different methods used for Composting:
The process of composting was first initiated in England during the period of First World War
(1914 -1918). The various systems of composting are
• Coimbatore method
• Indore Method
• Bangalore Method
• NADEP Method
• VAT Method/Japanese method

Coimbatore method:

Structure: Pit of 1.2m Width x 0.90 m depth x 5 to 7 m length is provided with shade.

Step 1: Farm wastes are spread at the bottom of the pit.

Step 2: Slurry of suspension of cow dung in water (10 kg cow dung in 50 lit of water) and
about 1 kg of bone meal is applied uniformly over it.

Step 3: In this way manure trench is filled until the material rises to around 60 cm and water
is sprinkled at regular intervals.

Step 4: The Material is taken out of the pit after 2 months. water is sprinkled over the
material and thoroughly mixed, then it is heaped under shade and left undisturbed.

Step 5: Occasionally water is sprinkled over it. The compost will be ready in 6-7nmonths.
 Indore Method
This is the first aerobic method and was developed by Albert Howard and Y. D. Wad at the
Institute of Plant Industry, Indore between 1924 and 1931. In this method animal dung is
used as catalytic agent along with all other plant residues and wastes available on the farm.
Steps followed for preparation of compost by Indore method.
A compost pit or trench of suitable size say, 3m x 1.5m x 1m (Length x width x depth) is
prepared.

Raw materials
• All organic material wastes available on a farm, such as weeds, stalks, stems, fallen
leaves, pruning, and fodder leftovers, are collected and stacked in a pile.
• Hard woody material such as cotton and pigeon-pea stalks and stubble are first spread
on the farm road and crushed under vehicles such as tractors or bullock carts before
being piled. Such hard materials should not exceed 10 percent of the total plant
residues.
• Green materials, which are soft and succulent, are allowed to wilt for two to three
days in order to remove excess moisture before stacking; they tend to pack closely
when stacked in the fresh state.

The compost heap is built in layers.

I layer ---- a layer of refuse/organic wastes like weeds, crop residues, grass clippings or
leaves of about 15-20 cm (6-8 inches) thick is spread at the base of the heap.
II layer – Next a 7 cm (2-3 inch) layer of slurry of cattle dung and water is added on to the
refuse.
III layer ---- A third layer (15-20 cm) of organic wastes is then spread followed by a layer of
slurry of cattle dung and water. This layering is continued till the heap is raised to a height of
50 cm above the ground level.
The top is then covered with a thin layer of soil and heap is kept moist. The filling of heap is
completed within 6 to 7 days to fill the 3/4th length of the trench, leaving 1/4th length empty
to facilitate subsequent turnings. Water is added so as to raise the moisture content to about
60-80%. At each turning whole mass is mixed thoroughly. This can be done manually or
mechanically.
Turning
The material is turned three times while in the pit during the whole period of composting: the
first time 15 days after filling the pit • the second after another 15 days (at 30 days) and • the
third after at 60 days • At each turning, the material is mixed thoroughly and moistened with
water.
 Bangalore Method
This method is an anaerobic process. This method of composting was developed at IISc,
Bangalore in India by Late C. N. Acharya, in 1939. It is recommended where night soil and
refuse are used for preparing the compost. It is initial aerobic process (8-10 days) later semi
anaerobic.  The method overcomes many of the disadvantages of the Indore method, such as
the problem of heap protection from adverse weather, nutrient losses from high winds and
strong sun, frequent turning requirements and fly nuisance. However, the time required for
the production of finished compost is much longer. The method is suitable for areas with
scanty rainfall.

Pit preparation
Generally, 9.1 m x 1.8 m x 0.9 m or 6.1 m x 1.8 m x 0.9 m
The mixed farm residues are spread at the bottom of a trench or pit of a convenient size
similar to that of Indore method.
Trenches or pits about 1 m deep are dug; the breadth and length of the trenches can vary
according to the availability of land and the type of material to be composted. The trenches
should preferably have sloping walls and floor to prevent waterlogging.

Filling the pit

Organic residues (15 cm) and night soil (5 cm) are put in alternate layers. (Pit is filled till it
reaches 50 cm above the surface).
After filling, the pit is covered with a thick layer of refuse of 15-20 cm and then plastered
with a 2-5 cm layer of mixture of mud and cattle dung.
The materials are allowed to remain in the pit without turning and watering for three months.
During this period, the material settles down due to reduction in the volume of biomass, C:N
ratio <20:1.
After the initial aerobic composting (about eight to ten days), the material undergoes
anaerobic decomposition at a very slow rate.
Now, this method is modified and being used for composting of farm and agricultural wastes
by using animal dung, urine and water in place of night soil.
It takes about eight to nine months to obtain the finished product.
 NADEP method of composting
Developed by a Farmer Sri. Narayan Deo Rao Pandhari Pande in Maharashtra. This method
envisages lot of composting with minimum use of cattle dung. Decomposition by aerobic
method with natural flow of air. Sri. Narayan Deo Rao Pandhari Pande is an old Gandhian
worker/ believer in Gandhian philosophy also popularly known as Nadep kaka. He worked
for 25 years at the Dr. Kumarappa Gowardhan Kendra at pusad to perfect the NADEP
composting technique. This method facilitates aerobic decomposition of organic matter. It
requires materials like dung, farm residues, soil and other waste products of agriculture.

Steps followed in NADEP method:

A brick structure measuring 3m x 2m x 1m is prepared with perforated holes in all side walls to
ensure adequate supply of air during composting.

It is carried out in specially constructed tanks with walls built like honey combs through which water
is sprayed to prevent the compost from becoming dry.

The above ground –perforated structure facilitates passage of air for aerobic decomposition. The
floor of the tank is laid with bricks.

The tank is covered above with a thatched roof. This prevents loss of nutrients by seepage or
evaporation and the contents are not exposed to sunshine and rain.

Materials required:
Farm wastes/crop residues: 1400-1500 Kg Dung: 90-100 Kg Soil: 1750 Kg. Water: 1500-1700 litres.
Bricks: 1500.No Cement: 1 bag if top layers are plastered and 4 bags if all the 4 walls are fully
plastered. The brick tank is plastered with cattle dung slurry to facilitate bacterial culture for
decomposition of biodegradable wastes. The brick tank is then filled layer wise.

Filling:
I layer --- with thick layer (10-15 cm) of fine stick or of pigeon pea or cotton stalks. (Hard
material) which help in providing aeration.
II layer --- 10-15 cm of farm wastes or dry and green biomass or any other biodegradable
material to be composted.
III layer --- slurry is prepared by mixing cattle dung (5 to 10 kg) with water (100 liters) and
sprinkled thoroughly on the biodegradable mass in order to facilitate bacterial culture for
faster decomposition.
IV layer --- a layer of soil is then spread over the composting mass in order to compress the
volume of wastes.
Addition of soil also facilitates retention of moisture, provides microorganisms and acts as
buffer and controls pH of the compost during decomposition.
 Vat or Japanese method
It is an advanced method of composting. Vats of 7-10m length, 1 to 1.2m width and 1.0 m
height are constructed using stone slabs bricks / stones. A gap of 5 cm is left b/w the slabs.
Temporary vats can be constructed using casuarina or bamboo poles or coconut fronds. The
floor of the vat is compacted or plastered to minimize leaching losses of nutrients. Space is
provided in the sidewalls of vat at intervals of about 1m for aeration.

Substrates of VAT method or Japanese method

Livestock and poultry excreta, organic wastes viz. leaf, litter, stubbles, stalks, legume
residues etc. By products of Argo based industries viz Press mud, Vegetable wastes. Rock
phosphate or ash Microbial culture: viz Aspergillus sp, penicillium sp, Trichoderma viridae,
Agrobacterium radiobacter, Azotobacter, Bacillus sps, Pleurotus sp, and polyporus sps. In the
absence of cultures well decomposed compost or dung may be used.
The vat is filled layer by layer leaving a minimum of 1m space at one end of the vat. Organic
wastes rich in lignin or cellulose filled in the bottom layer. The material should be turned
once in 20- 25days compost will be ready in 90-100days.

Sequence of layers:
1st layer: Lignin and cellulolytic materials to a height of 10-15 cm.
2nd Layer: Dry grass, Stubbles to a height of 10-15 cm. Sprinkle dung and urine or biogas
slurry to moisten both the layers, ash and soil are also sprinkled.
3rd Layer: Nitrogen rich materials viz, legume residues, weeds to a height of 10-15 cm.
4th Layer: P&K rich materials, certain weed sps e.g., Calotropis, rock phosphate, ash,
stubbles, crop residues. Sprinkle slurry of dung/urine/biogas slurry@5-10 kg in 40-5o lit
water.
5th Layer: Residues of sunflower, red gram or maize are cut into 10- 15 cm, mixed with
green biomass and filled to a depth of 10-15 cm.
6th Layer: Dung spread to a thickness of 20-30 cm. well decomposed compost, ash or tank
silt can be used.
Factors affecting Compost
1. C: N ratio
2. Moisture: 50-60% ideal.
3. Temperature
4. Aeration: 20-30% of aeration is required.
5. particle size: Smaller is best
6. pH: 5.5-7.5 is ideal for decomposition
7. Mo’s: both mesophilic microbes and thermophilic microbes play a role here.

Important factors in compost chemistry

C/N Ratio
Carbon provides energy source and building material for 50% of composting organisms’
cells.
Nitrogen is important in formation of proteins, nucleic acids, amino acids, enzymes etc. for
organisms.
Mo’s need carbon for growth and nitrogen for protein synthesis and for their
multiplication/reproduction 
30:1 Carbon to Nitrogen ratio is ideal.
Lower C:N ratio ---- causes rapid loss of ammonia
Higher C:N ratio ---- prolongs the period of composting.
Process of Composting
1. Mesophilic stage.
This is the initial stage of decomposition lasting for about a week during which sugars, starch
and other simple carbohydrates are rapidly metabolized. This is an exothermic process and
may cause an increase in temperature by 40°C.

2. Thermophilic stage.
This is the second stage, lasting for about two weeks during which the temperature may rise
to about 40 to 60°C. (and can go up to (70-80°C) and decomposition rate decreases and this
we can see self-limiting). Such a drastic increase in temperature is accompanied by the
decomposition of cellulose, hemicellulose and other resistant materials. It is important that
the material be thoroughly mixed and kept aerated during this stage.

3. Curing stage/Stabilization phase

The temperature decreases during this final stage and rate of degradation slows down and
further physical and chemical changes occur slowly. The material being composted is
recolonized by mesophilic organisms, which often produce plant-growth stimulating
compounds. (At the completion of this process, the plant or other organic parts (leaves, roots,
etc.) are no longer identifiable in the compost. The humification of organic material is
characterized by an increase in concentration of humic acids from approximately 4 to 12
percent, and a decrease in the C/N ratio from thirty in the original material to about ten in the
final product.

At completion
The plant or other organic parts (leaves, roots, etc.) are no longer identifiable in the compost.
There is an increase in concentration of humic acids from approximately 4 to 12 percent.
Decrease in the C/N ratio from thirty in the original material to about ten in the final product
 Significance of C:N ratio
There will be a keen competition for available nitrogen among soil micro-organisms ----
when organic residues with high C:N ratio are added. The multiplying micro-organisms
assimilate the available forms of nitrogen to synthesize their own bodies. Thus, the nitrogen
is immobilized temporarily.
When the organic residues are fairly decomposed, the C:N ratio becomes narrow since
carbon is being lost and nitrogen conserved.
The conserved nitrogen is reconverted to simple inorganic forms. Thus, the C:N ratio helps to
conserve both the nitrogen and organic matter in the soil.

C:N ratio of various crops:

• Maize stalks 50-100:1
• Straws of paddy, wheat, millets, etc. 40-100:1
• Sugarcane leaves trash and baggage 50-100:1
• Pigeon pea stalks 50-100:1
• Old green leaves and twigs of plants 50-100:1
• Mature grasses 40-80:1
• Coconut fibre waste 50-100:1
• Peanut hulls 40-80:1
• Mustard plants (after harvest) 40-80:1
• Paper wastes 170-200:1
• Sawdust 200-500:1
• Silk mill wastes 30-50:1
• Potato waste 40-80:1
• Fruit waste 30-35:1
• Grass clippings 12-25:1
• Hay, green 25-30:1
• Fresh Leaves (Pine) 60-100:1
• Fresh Leaves, other 30-80:1
• Manure of cattle, buffalo, pig and poultry 20-25:1
• Vegetable waste 12-25:1
• Weeds 25-30:1
Compost enrichment:
Farm compost is poor in P content (0.4-0.8 percent). Addition of P makes the compost more
balanced, and supplies nutrient to micro-organisms for their multiplication and faster
decomposition. The addition of P also reduces N losses. Compost can be enriched by:

• Application of superphosphate, bonemeal or phosphate rock: 1 kg of superphosphate

or bonemeal is applied over each layer of animal dung. Low-grade phosphate rock can
also be used for this purpose.
• Use of animal bones: these can be broken into small pieces, boiled with wood ash
leachate or lime water and drained, and the residue applied to the pits. This procedure
of boiling bones facilitates their disintegration. Even the addition of raw bones,
broken into small pieces and added to the pit, improves the nutrient value of compost
significantly.
• Wood ash waste can also be added to increase the K content of compost.
• Addition of N-fixing and P-solubilizing cultures (IARI, 1989): The quality of compost
can be further improved by the secondary inoculation of Azotobacter, Azospirillum
lipoferum, and Azospirillum brasilence (N-fixers); and Bacillus
megaterium or Pseudomonas sp. (P solubilizers). These organisms, in the form of
culture broth or water suspension of biofertilizer products, can be sprinkled when the
decomposing material is turned after one month. By this time, the temperature of the
compost has also stabilized at about 35 °C. As a result of this inoculation, the N
content of straw compost can be increased by up to 2 percent. In addition to
improving N content and the availability of other plant nutrients, these additions help
to reduce the composting time considerably.
 Economic and Social Benefits of Composting

• Composting can offer several potential economic benefits to communities:

• Extends current landfill longevity and delays the construction of a more expensive
replacement landfill or incinerator.
• Reduces or avoids landfill or combustor tipping fees, and reduces waste disposal fees
and long-distance transportation costs.
• Offers environmental benefits from reduced landfill and combustion use.
• Creates new jobs for citizens.
• Produces marketable products and a less-cost alternative to standard landfill cover,
artificial soil amendments, and conventional bioremediation techniques.
• Provides a source of plant nutrients and improves soil fertility; results in significant
cost savings by reducing the need for water, pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, and
nematodes.
• Used as an alternative to natural topsoil in new construction, landscape renovations,
and container gardens. Using composts in these types of applications is not only less
expensive than purchasing topsoil, but it can also often produce better results when
establishing a healthy vegetative cover.
• Used as mulch for trees, orchards, landscapes, lawns, gardens, and makes an excellent
potting mix. Placed over the roots of plants, compost mulch conserves water and
stabilizes soil temperatures. In addition, it keeps plants healthy by controlling weeds,
providing a slow release of nutrients, and preventing soil loss through erosion.

Dung and urine produced by animals per day

Urine Quantity of dung (Kg)

Animal
(ml / kg live wt) per day
Horse 3-18 9-18
Cattle 17-45 18-30
Buffaloes 20-45 25-40
Sheep and goats 10-40 1-2.5
Pigs 5-30 3-5
Poultry - 2.5-3.5

Nutritive value of animal solid and liquid excreta

Dung (mg/g) Urine (%)

Animal
N P K N P K
Cattle 20-45 4-10 7-25 1.21 0.01 1.35
Sheep and goat 20-45 4-11 20-29 1.47 0.05 1.96
Pig 20-45 6-12 15-48 0.38 0.1 0.99
Poultry 28-62 9-26 8-29 - - -
Formulation of the project:
On the basis of the objectives of Experiential Learning Programme and preliminary
survey regarding the demand of the farming community and local markets I have formulated a
project on “VEGETABLE WASTE PRODUCTION unit” in commercial scale under
Commercial agriculture module.

Summary:

The aim of EL programme is to convert Vegetable waste into useful product for better growth
and quality of crops and thus this low-cost technology as economic environmental and social
relevance. Low chemicals are used in the production process. Do not have any residual effect
after application.
The compost contains locally harvested microorganisms and is non-toxic to human beings. It
is very stable and acts as soil conditioner. It reduced pathogenic bacteria and also toxicity
which is caused by heavy metals. After the success of the commercial unit, it will generate
employment also so job seekers will be benefited also. the expected profit will be increasing
and we hope the observed net profit will be much more than the expected one.
What is Vegetable waste Composting?
Vegetable waste composting is the act of using your Vegetable waste and food scraps, which
are organic materials (greens and browns), to create compost beneficial for enriching soil and
growing plants and crops. Surprisingly, most people are unaware that food scraps are good
sources of vitamins and minerals. These give the soil nutrients to become healthier, trickling
down the minerals to the crops planted into it.

Composting Vegetable waste is a highly sustainable method. In addition, when it comes to

making Vegetable waste compost, expert knowledge is not required. Anyone can start making
a compost pit. This is because composting is not a specialized skill exclusive to those with prior
farming or agricultural experience.

For starters, make sure you know the right kind of Vegetable waste usable for composts.
Biodegradable food scraps and leftovers are some you can include. But there are also types of
kitchen leftovers not allowed to be composted.

What Types of Kitchen/ Vegetable waste can be Composted?

Even though it's easy to find items for Kitchen/ Vegetable waste compost, mistaking some
food scraps for usable compost items can be tricky. Yes, greens are a must, but not all kitchen
items are appropriate for Kitchen/ Vegetable waste composting

Here are some of the following items you can add to your Kitchen/ Vegetable waste
compost:

• Dried leaves
• Herbs and spices
• Fruit peelings (e.g., banana, apples, oranges, etc.)
• Grass and brush trimmings
• Bread, cereal, wheat crumbs
• Coffee grounds
• Tea bags or tea leaves
• House dust
• Old and stale animal food (e.g., cat or dog food)
• Shredded paper or cardboard
• Hay, straw, or pet bedding
• Organic manure (e.g., cow manure)
• Toilet rolls or egg cartons (with no oil)
• Pinecones
• Nutshells
What are the Benefits of Composting Kitchen/ Vegetable Waste?
Composting will help reduce food waste and turn kitchen scraps into a valuable resource. But
that's not all there is to it. Here are some of the benefits composting Kitchen/ Vegetable waste
has to offer:

1. Get rid of restaurant waste: Making compost from Kitchen/ Vegetable waste means
putting out less garbage. Plus, you can practice kitchen and food waste management without
spending too much money.
2. Discover more food waste solutions: Food waste recycling is a problem in almost every
establishment. Kitchen/ Vegetable waste composting can resolve this issue, so you won't
have to feel bad the next time you feel like any food or ingredient will end up getting spoiled.
3. Promote an eco-friendly lifestyle: Partaking in an eco-friendly lifestyle doesn't happen
overnight. To be successful in it, be committed and consistent until it becomes a part of your
lifestyle. Kitchen/ Vegetable waste composting can help you and your business become more
sustainable. It also helps lower your carbon footprint.
4. Start farm-to-table solutions: Kitchen/ Vegetable waste composting can lead to a farm-
to-table movement. Here, you can plant crops and harvest them for kitchen use. It is a
phenomenal way to reduce carbon emissions from buying food outside.

Reasons for vegetable waste:

 Statistics of Vegetable waste generated:

Nearly 1.3 billion tonnes of food are lost or wasted worldwide each year, with vegetables and
fruit making up for almost 45-50 percent of this loss, presents an opportunity that can bridge
the gap for animal feed. Additionally, it will help reduce the negative impact that the lost and
waste food causes on the environment by reducing part of the carbon footprint.

By 2050 the world will need to feed an additional 2 billion people and will require 70 per cent
more meat and milk. The increasing future demand for livestock products, driven by increases
in income, population and urbanization will impose a huge demand on feed resources.
Sustainability of feed production systems is being challenged due to biophysical factors such
as land, soil and water scarcity, food-fuel-feed competition, ongoing global warming and
frequent and drastic climatic vagaries, along with increased competition for arable land and
non-renewable resources such as fossil carbon-sources, water and phosphorus. A key to
sustainable livestock development is: efficient use of available feed resources including
reduction in wastage, and enlargement of the feed resource base through a quest for novel feed
resources, particularly those not competing with human food.

A huge quantity of fruit and vegetable wastes (FVW) and by-products from the fruit and
vegetable processing industry are available throughout the world. For example, fruit and
vegetable processing, packing, distribution and consumption in the organized sector in India,
the Philippines, China and the United States of America generate a total of approximately 55
million tonnes of FVW. A large proportion of these wastes are dumped in landfills or rivers,
causing environmental hazards. Alternatives to such disposal methods could be recycling
through livestock as feed resources and/or further processing to extract or develop value-added
products.

Most of the developing countries have been battling against the problem of how to adequately
feed their livestock because of inadequate production of conventional feed ingredients for
livestock feeding. Many of these countries are also well blessed with considerable good fertile,
arable land, good sunshine and abundant and well distributed rainfall. The inadequate
quantities of concentrated feedstuffs they produce yearly are competed by humans and their
livestock. Usually, humans have to have their needs satisfied first leaving the remainder for
livestock. Cattles have been fed various crop residues and unconventional feedstuffs for years.
Proper utilization of unconventional feeds by ruminants will not only benefit the animal
industry but will increase the economic return of many cash crops.

Vegetable and fruit by-products have a good potential for use of ruminant and non-ruminant
rations so that the gap between the demand and supply of feeds and fodders can be shortened.
Efforts are focused on determining the seasonal availability and nutritive value of locally
available fruit and vegetable by-products with a view to formulate adequate year round feeding
system .Fruit and vegetable wastes like apple pomace, tomato pomace; citrus, carrot and bottle
gourd pulp; banana and mango peels etc. are a rich source of nutrients and these can be fed
either as such, after drying or ensiling with cereal straws, without effecting the palatability,
nutrient utilization, health or performance of livestock. The effective and efficient utilization
of fruit and vegetable wastes will reduce the cost of animal feeding thereby increasing farmers’
profits, generate an array of value-added products and help in waste management and reduction
of environmental pollution. It is concluded that most of the tested fruit wastes, especially
banana foliage and peels, mango peels and seed kernels, citrus pulp and pineapple waste either
fresh, dried or ensiled could serve as excellent alternative feed resources for livestock and
poultry. It is concluded that baby corn husk, cabbage leaves, cauliflower leaves, sarson saag
waste, tomato pomace, carrot pomace, cull potatoes, cull snow peas and pea pods could serve
as excellent sources of nutrients for ruminants and can reduce the cost of feed production.

Acute shortage of feedstuffs in developing countries can be taken care of by exploring novel
non-conventional feed resources, which do not compete for human food. Processing and
evaluation of fruit and vegetable wastes (VW) available to the tune of 1.99 million tonnes in
India can solve the problem to certain extent.
 Procedure for Kitchen/vegetable waste compost:

1. Collection of waste
Household waste in economically developed countries will generally be left in waste
containers or recycling bins prior to collection by a waste collector using a waste collection
vehicle. The waste is procured from APMC Shivamogga. The cost of 1 tonne is about
Rs.300. The waste includes different vegetables and fruits such as carrot, potato, pumpkin,
palak, onion peel, brinjal etc.
2. Collection of Leaf litter/ Dry matter:
The dry matter or leaf litter is collected from different places of our campus. The various
types of dry matter include Sababul leaves, pongamia leaves etc. The dry matter was
collected in plastic containers.
3. Filling pit:
Procedure of Filling the compost pit:

• The bottom layer of the pit should be filled with the soil:
The bottom layer of pit is filled with soil. It may be red soil or any other. This is done
to increase moisture holding capacity and reduces mineral leaching.

nd
• Fill the 2 layer with vegetable waste up to 30-45 cm:
The waste that has been procured from APMC market is filled here. It contains onion
peel, carrot, cabbage, beetroot, leafy vegetable.

rd
• 3 layer has to be filled with dry matter:
The 3rd layer was filled with dry litter. This litter acts as variety of food source for
microorganisms that are present.

• Sprinkle cow dung slurry over it:

The cow dung slurry is sprinkled over this layer. This cow dung contains beneficial
microorganisms that helps in composting.

• Continue to fill the pit till it reaches 50 cm of heap:

Here heap is done to increase surface area for water absorption.

• Water should be sprinkled to maintain 40-60% moisture:

The water is sprinkled every alternate days to maintain this moisture.
 1st Layer filling with soil 2nd layer filling with Vegetable waste

3rd layer filling with dry matter Regular watering

Why is moisture important in compost:

• In the composting process, microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi and physical

decomposers break down organic material. To do so, they need the right amount of
moisture.
• A lack of moisture will mean that most microorganisms will not be active or
reproduce. As bacteria have no legs, they also need moisture in order to move around
the compost heap.
• Too much moisture, though, and air will be forced out of the compost heap. This will
lead to anaerobic (without air) composting, which is slower, releases more greenhouse
gases and can lead to bad odours.
• Water also impacts the heat of a compost pile – drier compost heaps heat up more
quickly and cool down more slowly than wetter compost heaps.

Why cow dung is used in Composting:

• The cow dung is helpful in eliminating harmful ammonia gas
• It helps in eliminating harmful pathogen such as E. coli
• The usage of cow dung helps in elimination of weed seed.
• It adds generous amount of organic matter.
• It increases water holding capacity.
• It contains beneficial microorganisms for composting.
 50 cm

Cow Dung slurry

Dry Matter

Vegetable waste

Soil

Collection of cow dung and cleaning pit

 Repeating the layers

Application of compost culture

Application of compost culture enhances the rate of decomposition as it contains many
beneficial micro-organisms
 Inspection by our course teachers and Dean sir

Visit by Dr. Dushyanth Kumar Sir - Dean (Agri) COA Shivamogga

 Shade Drying and Packaging of compost:

Packaging is done in a polyester gunny bag having our University Logo, name of our
Department and ELP batch. We packed the ready compost of 50 Kg each in a bag.
Visit by Honourable Vice Chancellor of Keladi Shivappa
Nayaka University of Agricultural and Horticultural
Sciences Iruvakki
 Sale of Vegetable waste compost
Total quantity of Vegetable waste compost sold is 1,320 Kgs
The 1 tonne of vegetable compost was sold to Areca Research centre
ZAHRS Shivamogga for 6,000 Rs/-
Another 320 Kgs vegetable compost was sold to Tobacco research unit
ZAHRS Shivamogga for 1,920 Rs/-
LIQUID ORGANIC MANURES
 BEEJAMRUTHA
INTRODUCTION
Seed treatment is Very important for seed germination, because during germination Many
diseases may Infect during germination stage. Seeds soaked with beejamrutha are controlling
many seed and soil borne disease, which increases seed germination and vigour. Beejamrutha
is mainly used as seed treatment which can be prepared easily and totally organic /eco-friendly.
Ingredients in beejamrutha
1. Water
2. Cow dung
3. Cow urine
4. Lime
5. Soil

Procedure for preparation of Beejamrutha.

• Take 20 litres of water, 5 kg of local cow dung, 5 litres of local cow urine, 50-gram lime
& handful soil from the bund of farm.
• Take 5 kg local cow dung in a cloth and bound it by tape. Hang this in the 20-litre water
up to 12 hours
• Take one-litre water and add 50 gm lime in it, let it stable for a night.
• Then next morning, squeeze this bundle of the cow dung in that water thrice
continuously, so that all essence of cow dung is accumulated in that water.
• Add a handful of soil in that water solution and stir it well
• Finally add 5 litre desi cow urine in that solution & add the limewater and stir it well.
• Beejamrutha is ready to use.
 How to use Beejamrutha.
• Add Beejamrutha to the seeds of any crop as a seed treatment, coat them,
mix them by hands; dry well and use for sowing.
• For leguminous seeds, just dip them quickly and let dry.

Advantages of Beejamrutha.
1. It cost very less as compared to the inorganic chemicals
2. It also takes very less time for the preparation.
3. According to the research by NCOF (National centre for organic and natural farming)
use of this organic solution can protect seeds from seed borne diseases.
4. It also helps to improves the germination viability of the seeds
5. This amazing organic solution speed up the spread of roots and protects it from pest or
any fungal attack.

Time of application: -before sowing, it is used as seed treatment.

Preparation time: -12-24hrs.
Storage time: -It can be stored up to 7days
Nutrients content in Beejamrutha
• Nitrogen: 40 ppm

• Phosphorus: 155.3 ppm

• Potassium :252 ppm

• pH: 8.2

• EC: 5.5 ds/m

 JEEVAMRUTHA PREPARATION
Introduction: -

• Jeevamrutha is a liquid organic manure popularly used as means of organic farming.

• It is considered to be an excellent source of natural carbon, biomass, nitrogen,
phosphorus, potassium and lot of other micro nutrients required for the crops.
As compared to other forms of manure, composts, vermicompost, jeevamrutha can be
prepared very quickly and has proven to be lot more effective.

INGREDIENTS: -

1) 10 Kg fresh cow dung. 2) 5 lit. cow urine 3) 2 Kg Jaggery

4) 2 Kg Pulse flour 5) 1 Kg Soil 6) 200 lit. Water

PROCEDURE:
• All the required 6 material are added one by one in wide mouthed plastic tank of 300-
liter capacity.

• Step 1: Take 200 l. of water in 300 l. drum

• Step 2: Adding 10 kg of Cow dung

• Step 3: Add 5 l. of cow urine

• Step 4: Add 1 kg of soil in a drum and mix thoroughly

• Step 5: Dissolving 2 Kg Jaggery

• Step 6: Add 2 Kg of pulse flour to the drum and mix it

• The plastic drum should be kept under the shed.

• The organic mixture is stirred twice a day in morning and evening hours in clock wise
direction.

• The drum mouth should be tied with cotton cloth.

• This solution will be ready after 7 days

• Shelf life: use it within 15 days of manufacturing

FIELD APPLICTION
• The rate of application is 500 lit./ha.

• It has to be diluted before applying.

• It should be applied on wet soil, if used on dry soil then the microorganisms will die

ADVANTAGES
• It acts as an agent to increase the microbial count a friendly bacterium in the soil.

• As preparation time is only 4-5 days, it can be used effectively and frequently.

• If used consistently it can eradicate the need for chemical fertilizer completely.

• Improve the PH of soil.

• Suitable for all crops and increase the yield and cuts down on entire expenses of
chemical fertilizer.

USE OF JEEVAMRUTHA
Jeevamrutha helps increase the earthworm count in the soil; earthworm leads to a very porous
quality of soil which has: a higher water holding capacity, improves aeration, bring up minerals
from deep in the subsurface that are often in short supply in surface layers.

Jeevamrutha that is prepared by ELP Students is exhibited in Krishi Mela

 GHANA JEEVAMRUTHA

MATERIALS REQUIRED FOR GHANA JEEVAMRUTHA

1.100 kg indigenous cow dung.
2.2 kg gram flour
3.2kg organic jaggery
4.10-liter indigenous cow urine.

GHANAJEEVAMRUTHA PREPARATION PROCEDURE

1.Collect 100 kg of indigenous cow dung.
2.Shade dry the cow dung for 21 days.
3. Mix the dried cow dung using spade once in two days thoroughly.
4.Powder the dried cow dung.
5.Add 2kg of jaggery by powdering it.
6.Add 2kg of powdered gram flour to it.
7.Mix all the things thoroughly.
8.Add 10 liters of indigenous cow urine to it.
9.leave the mixture for shade dry for 2 days
10.Make small balls using the mixture.
11. Now the ghana jeevamrutha is ready to use.

NOTE: POWDER THIS GHANAJEEVAMRUTHA WHILE APPLYING TO FIELD.

USES OF GHANAJEEVAMRUTHA

1.We mainly use ghana jeevamrutha for dry farming land.

2. While sowing apply 400kg of ghana jeevamrutha per acre land.
3.It helps to increase microbial count in the soil.
4.It increases the nutrient uptake in the plant.
BOtANICAL pEStICIDES
 Neemastra:
Neemastra is an organic preparation used in zero budget farming. It is useful against sucking
pests and mealy bugs. the basic material that is used for preparation
is neem leaf (Azadirachta indica). Neem leaves have amazing pesticidal property. They also
act as fungicide as well as have anti-bacterial properties. Moreover, neem also acts as a
fertilizer.

That’s why if you are willing to start organic farming or gardening then you cannot avoid the
importance of neem. Generally we spray neem oil mix to save our plants or crop. But,
neemastra is an advanced version of neem oil mix.

Procedure

Take 100 liter of water in a drum

Add 5 liters of desi cow urine and 5 Kg of desi cow dung into it

Crush 5 Kg of neem leaves and add it

Allow it to ferment for 24 hours

Stir this solution twice a day

Filter this by cloth

Use this as foliar spray

Controls: All the sucking pests jassids, aphids, whitefly and small caterpillar

Storage: It can be stored for 6 months

Grinding of Neem leaves

Neemastra that is prepared by ELP students is exhibited in Krishi Mela

 Brahmastra:
It is a natural liquid pesticide which controls borer pests

Materials required to make Brahmastra:

Earthen Pot – 1no (50 lt)
Cow urine – 10 lt
Neem leaves – 3 Kg
Papaya leaves – 2 Kg
Pomegranate leaves – 2 Kg
Guava leaves – 2 Kg
Lantana camella leaves – 2 Kg
Datura leaves – 2 Kg

Procedure:
Take a mud pot and add 10- liter desi cow urine in it

Crush 3 Kg of neem leaves, 2 Kg of Custard leaves, 2 Kg of

Papaya leaves, 2 Kg of Pomegranate leaves, 2 Kg of Guava
leaves, 2 Kg of Lantana leaves, 2 Kg of Datura leaves with Cow
urine

Boil this solution and strain using muslin cloth

Allow it to ferment for 24 hours

Application of Brahmasthra:
• Spay the prepared Brahmasthra on the crop plants to control all the sucking
pests, pod borer, fruit borer etc.
• Spray Brahmasthra @ 2 liters in 100 liters of water
• It can be applied on all types of crops like vegetable crops, fruit crops, flower
crops, as well as cereals and pulse crops

Brahmastra that is prepared by ELP students is exhibited in Krishi Mela

 DASHAPARNI KASHAYA
It is a natural insecticide used in the natural farming for controlling the insects without using
chemicals by using natural materials.

INGREDIENTS REQUIRED FOR PREPARATION OF DASHAPARNIKASHAYA

1.Ten different types of leaves which are having insecticidal properties each 2kg (neem
leaves[5kg], pongamia leaves, bitter gourd leaves, custard apple leaves, Calotropis leaves,
caster leaves, lantana camera leaves, datura leaves, marigold leaves, Lekki leaves, periwinkle
leaves, jaali leaves, Tulasi leaves, pomegranate leaves, mango leaves, guava leaves, arecanut
leaves, coffee leaves etc.)
2. 200-liter water
3. 2kg indigenous cow dung
4.10-liter indigenous cow urine
5.1/2 Kg garlic
6.1/2 kg green chilli
7.200-gram ginger powder
8. 1kg tobacco leaves

DASHAPARNIKASHAYA PREPARATION PROCEDURE.

1.Take all ten different types of leaves and crush them using a stone by mixing with cow
urine.
2.Crush garlic, ginger, green chillies along with it using stone mixing with cow urine.
3.Crush 1 kg of tobacco leaves using cow urine.
4.Take 200 liters of water in a drum, mix 2kg of indigenous cow dung in it.
5. Mix 10 liter of cow urine to it and mix thoroughly.
6.Mix 5kg of crushed neem leaves and 2kg of all other crushed leaves to the mixture.
7.Mix 1kg of crushed tobacco leaves to it.
8.leave this mixture up to 21 days for fermentation.
9. place it in shade
10.During these days turn the mixture in clockwise direction once in two days, after cover it
with wet gunny bag.
11.Filter the mixture using a cloth.
12. Dashaparni kashaya will be ready to use.

USES OF DASHAPARNIKASHAYA
1.We can use this Dashaparni Kashaya instead of agniasthra, neemasthra, brahmasthra,
2.Use this liquid when we observe egg masses of pests on leaves, at the rate of 4 to 6 liter
with 200 liters of water to control the pest infestation in natural farming.
pROJECt pROpOSAL
 Proposal for Experiential Learning programme in the
Dept. of Agronomy

Title of Experimental Learning Unit: Vegetable waste Compost

Location with address: Dept. of Agronomy, College of Agriculture
KSN UAHS Iruvakki
List of constituent colleges with: College of Agriculture, Shivamogga

Existing units:

1. Name of the University: Keladi Shivappa Nayaka University of Agricultural and

Horticultural Sciences, Iruvakki
2. Title of the Experimental Learning Unit: Agriculture Waste Management /
Management of Organic Resources in Agriculture
3. Name of the College with Address: College of Agriculture, Shivamogga
4. Organizational setup of the Unit:

Name Contact details Responsibilities

Dean Dr. Dushyanth Dean (Agri) College of Over view and monitor
Kumar Agriculture, Shivamogga the progress of the work
with respect to smooth
functioning of EL
project.

Course Dr. H.K. Veeranna Professor Responsibility for overall

Teacher Dept. of Agronomy progress of the EL
COA, Shivamogga project.

Faculty Dr. Siddagangamma Asst. Professor (Contract) Responsibilities of

K. R Dept. of Agronomy guiding students about
COA, Shivamogga day-to-day activities that
has to be performed.
Introduction:
Population explosion, rapid industrialization and trend of urbanization have resulted in massive
migration of people from rural to urban areas. As a result, thousands of tons of waste are being
generated. Municipal solid waste (MSW) includes industrial, commercial, institutional
agricultural wastes etc. MSW contain higher percentage of organic waste. More than 90% of
these wastes were sent for unscientific land fillings, creating problems to public health and
environment. Kitchen waste is organic in nature that decomposes quickly, producing foul
odours and attracts rodents and insects. Management of kitchen waste reduces or eliminates
adverse impacts on land, contamination of the atmosphere, soil and water. The aim of the
present study is to convert kitchen waste into useful product for better growth and quality of
crops so as to promote sustainable waste management. Improper handling of solid waste is
health hazard and cause damage to the environment. The main risk to human health arises from
the breeding of disease vectors like flies, mosquitoes and rodents. Solid wastes are ideal
breeding places for pathogens. Improper disposal of solid waste has resulted contamination.
The environmental damage cause by wastes is mostly aesthetic in nature. Uncontrolled
dumping destroys the beauty of country. There is a danger of water pollution when the leachate
from a refuse dump enters surface or ground water resources. Uncontrolled burning of open
dumps can cause air pollution.

Scope:
India tops the world chart for producing the maximum waste. Every day, 1.3 billion people
produce about 150,000 (1.5 lakh) tonnes of solid waste. With 25% of global food production,
India is the largest food producer in the world and consumes about 27% of agricultural produce.
Reports suggest that developing countries like India produce more wet and organic waste.
Considering this, the country has the capability to open up more scope for turning the waste
into manure. The monetary benefit of Rs. 700 per tonne of city compost, should have helped
the companies to increase their production, meanwhile making it cheaper for the farmers to
buy organic manure. This arrangement should have increased the demand for the product.
However, companies complain of delayed compensation and the manure has not been able to
attract farmers much or compete with the chemical fertiliser market.

Objective:
1. The aim of the project is to convert kitchen waste into a useful product for better
growth and quality of crops
2. This low-cost technology has economic, environmental and societal relevance. No
chemicals are used in the production process. Do not have any residual effect after
application.
This helps in reduction of municipal waste drastically to low leve
Vegetable Waste used nutrition composition

Vegetable Waste Nutrition composition

Cauliflower leaf N:5.09 mg, P: 1.09 mg, K:1.95 mg

Onion peel Mg: 1.24 mg, Fe: 0.06 mg

Beet root Mn: 5 mg, Mg: 11 mg

Mint leaves Na: 31mg, k: 569mg

Tomato Ca: 13 mg, K: 244 mg, Na: 3 mg

Knol khol Na: 20 mg, K: 350 mg

Chilli Ca: 1000 mg, P: 320 mg, K: 2100 mg

Brinjal Na: 2 mg, K: 229 mg

Palak leaves Na: 7.9 mg, K: 55.8 mg

Ladies finger Na: 7 mg, K: 299 mg

List of Tools and Equipment required:
1. Spade
2. Water pipe
3. Baskets
4. Gunny Bags
5. Sieve

Materials required:
Vegetable waste (Kitchen waste, Vegetable waste, APMC waste)
Dry matter or Leaf litter (Pongamia leaves, Jatropa leaf)
Soil
Cow Dung Slurry
Water

Procedure of Filling the pit:

➢ The bottom layer of the pit should be filled with soil up to 15 cm.

➢ Fill the second layer with Vegetable waste up to 30-45 cm.

➢ Third layer is filled with dry matter up to 15 cm which is rich source of organic matter.

➢ Sprinkle cow dung slurry over it.

➢ Continue to fill pit until it reaches 50 cm of heap above the pit.

➢ Water should be sprinkled to maintain 30-40 % moisture content.

Methodology (Flow Chart)

COLLECTION

FILLING THE PITS

COMPOSTING

READY COMPOST
 Economics:
A) Basis & Presumptions
Particulars Unit Quantity

Techno-economic parameters

1. One cycle production Days 120 (4 months)

2. Total cycles in year No’s 3

Expenditure Norms

1. Vegetable waste Rs/ tonnes 300

2. Cow dung 20 Kg -
3. Labour cost 150 Rs/ day 4,500

Income Norms

1. Rate of vegetable compost Rs/ tonne 6,000

2. Production of vegetable compost Tonnes 1
Per cycle

B) Total cost of Project:

Particulars Unit Rate/ Unit Quantity Amount (Rs)
Capital cost

1. Land Own land - - -

2. Pit construction 1 Rs1,000 1 1,000
(3×2×1) m
3. Water tank 1 Rs 900 1 900
4. Spade 1 Rs 300 2 600
5. Basket 1 Rs 100 2 200
6. Water pipe 1 Rs 200 1 200

Sub total 2,900

Working Capital

1. Vegetable waste Tonnes 300 2 600

2. Cow dung Kg 20 2 -
3. Packaging No’s 100 20 2,000
4. Skilled labour Man days 150 2 300

Total Cost Rs 5,900

C) Projected Profitability:
Particulars Quantity Rate
1. Compost produced per pit 1 tonne 6,000
2. Total cost of project - 5,900

Net Profit 1,100

This includes fixed capital as investment in first cycle of compost production

Next cycles:
Fixed Cost = Total Cost – Variable cost
= 5,900 – 3,000
= 2,900 /-

Therefore, Rs 2900 is the minimum expenditure per cycle/ pit.

Net profit = 6,000- 2,900
= 3,100 /-
Therefore, For 1 year → 3 Cycles from one pit
→ 3,100 × 3
→ 9,300 /-
In large scale production,
20 pits produce (per cycle) = 20 × 6,000 (For 1 tonne compost)
= 1,20,000 /-
Succeeding cycles of cost for 20 cycles (Variable cost varies with time, this is taken as per
Economics mentioned above) = 20 ×3000
= 60,000 /-

Sale Price – Expenditure= 1,20,000 – 60,000

= Rs 60,000 /-

For annum = 3 × 60,000 = 1,80,000 Rs/-

 SWOT Analysis

STRENGTH WEAKNESS

➢ Potential reduction of kitchen/ ➢ Poor dumping management

vegetable waste ➢ Collection of waste is tedious task
➢ Fast decomposition of vegetable ➢ Availability of skilled labour
waste
➢ Nutrients in compost is high and
diverse

OPPORTUNITY THREAT

➢ Receiving external support from ➢ Insufficient attention to promote

government research
➢ Application of new technologies ➢ Invalidity of compost standardisation
➢ Creation of Job opportunities

Extension Activities:

• Invite entrepreneur involved in this business and arrange the workshop.

• Motivating farmers to use locally available vegetable waste and decompose them.
• Training house wives to use household waste to turn them into useful compost.
• Conduct Method Demonstration on “Vegetable waste Decomposition”.
• Promotional Campaigns on “Advantages of using Vegetable compost”.
• Exhibition of product of Vegetable compost.
 Marketing activities:

• Understanding the market place and customer needs and wants.

• Design a consumer driven marketing strategy.
• Construct a marketing programme that delivers superior value.
• Build profitable relationships and create consumer delight.
• Capture value from customers to create profits and Consumer equity.
• Maintain good Supply Chain Management.
• Market Segmentation (Geographical & Customer) must to thoroughly understand.
• Marketing mix: 4 P’s (Product, Price, Place, Promotion)

Summary of the proposed work

• Raw materials (Kitchen waste, Vegetable waste) required for EL Programme is

sufficiently available in the market.
• This programme will help to inoculate scientific skills with respect to collection of
waste, method of filling pits, method of composting.
• Today’s education system focuses more on Academic aspects rather than practical
works. This EL Programme helps students under take practical work and thus
inoculating entreprenial ideals among students.
• As India is known for high production of Agricultural and Horticultural products,
production of waste is also common. So, it is very necessary to learn about composting
methods of that waste.
• This Experiential Learning programme helps students to set up their own
entrepreneurial unit and also helps in providing job to others.
 SOCIO-ECONOMIC POTENTIALITY OF
VEGETABLE WASTE COMPOST

Total Vegetable waste generated in per day in Karnataka is 8,825 tonnes

So, nearly for 365 days waste generated equates to:
365 x 8,825 = 32,21,125 tonnes

According to our experimental data, 1 tonne of vegetable compost is produced

from 2 tonnes of waste
Total waste produced per annum in Karnataka is 32,21,125
So, from this waste we can produce nearly

2 tonnes of waste =========➔1 tonne compost

32,21,125 tonnes of waste =======➔16 lakhs tonnes of compost

Income generation:
1 tonne of vegetable waste compost costs around 6,000 Rs/-
Hence, for 16 lakh tonnes of vegetable compost comes around
Lumpsum amount of 1,000 Crore Rs/-
Work generation
Size of pit: 2m x 1m x 1m

1 pit can take up =========➔ 2 tonnes of vegetable waste

8 lakh pits======16,00,000 tonnes of Vegetable waste

Total 3 cycles produced in a year

Hence, 2,50,000 pits are required (Approx)
If work done by labour for 10 pits is 1 man day/year
Then, for 2,50,000 pits
= 25,000 Man days/ year

We know that, for 1 man day it costs around 300 Rs/-

For 25,000 man days
= 25,000 x 300
= 75,00,000 Rs/-

Work generation in terms of money is 75 Lakhs rupees

Nutrient ratio of Vegetable waste compost (NPK): 2:1:2

1 tonne of vegetable compost produces ====➔ 0.02 tonne of N

16,00,000 tonne of vegetable compost produces==➔ 32,000 tonne of N

Total Nitrogen produced from 16 lakh tonne compost = 32,000 tonne

Total Phosphorus produced from 16 lakh tonne compost = 16,000 tonne
Total potassium produced from 16 lakh tonne compost = 32,000 tonne

According to CEIC report,

Total Urea consumption in Karnataka in 2020-21= 122336 tonnes

1 tonne of Urea =======➔ 0.46 tonne of N

122336 tonnes of urea ====➔
= 122336 x 0.46
=56,274 tonnes of N

If we equate 56,274 to 100%,

56,274 tonnes =====➔ 100%
32,000 tonnes =====➔ ?
= 56.8 %
56.8% Urea can be replaced by Vegetable waste compost.
We can reduce use of Urea by 56.8%

1 tonne of urea costs around 5360 Rs/-

122336 tonne of urea costs= 65.5 Crores Rs/-
We can replace – 56.8% of total N
= 65.5 x (56.8÷100)
= 36.68 Crores Rs/-
By using 32,21,125 tonnes of waste to produce 16,00,000 tonnes of vegetable waste compost
We can save around 36 Crore rupees.
 PHOSPHORUS
According to CEIC,
Average phosphorus fertilizer consumption in Karnataka in 2020-21 is 0.42
tonnes /ha
Total cultivated land in Karnataka is 1.28 Cr ha
Total Phosphorus fertilizer consumption is 54,00,000 tonnes

From, above data we can produce 16,00,000 tonnes of phosphorus from

32,00,000 vegetable waste

If we equate,
54 lakh tonnes of P ====➔ 100%
16 lakh tonnes of P ====➔ ?
= 29.62 %

By using 32 lakh tonnes of vegetable waste produced annually in Karnataka,

We can reduce around 30% of total phosphorus fertilizer usage by composting
the waste.
 POTASSIUM

According to CEIC data 2020-21,

Average potassium fertilizer usage in Karnataka is 21.65 kg/ Ha = 0.021 tonne/ha
Total arable land in Karnataka is 1.28 Crores ha
Total K usage in Karnataka is 41 lakh tonne/ha

From 16 lakh tonnes of vegetable waste compost produces 32,000 of K

If we equate Total K usage to 100%,

41 lakh tonnes of K =======➔ 100%

32 Lakh tonnes of K ======➔ ?

= (32 x 100) ÷ 41
= 78.04 %

By using 32 lakh tonnes of vegetable waste produced annually in Karnataka,

We can reduce around 78.04% of total potassium fertilizer usage.
Glimpses of Krishi Mela

Won 2nd prize for Best Stall

 CONCLUSION

This reviews on Vegetable waste compost shows the positive results of

compost when applied in agriculture. The general conclusion is simple,
if the composting process is correctly performed and compost is stable
and mature, compost is a supply of macro- and micronutrients, which
can substitute chemical fertilizers. From above data interpreted, if
whole vegetable waste generated in Karnataka is composted then it
produces around 16,00,000 tonnes of compost which is monetarily
equates to lumpsum amount of Rs 1,000 Crores. If it is done in whole
country then it has a lot of potential in this sector. The vegetable waste
compost can alone contribute to 0.55% of Agriculture GDP (4532.49
INR billions) of India.
Compost also has other effects as well, such as suppressing plant
diseases, among others. In general, the results presented in this review
point out that the applications of compost are adequate from the
environmental point of view, with a wide variety of uses and purposes,
such as bioremediation of several hazardous pollutants. Several new
formulations of compost, such as compost tea, vegetable waste
compost, vermicompost or tailor-made compost with different
biopesticide products, are emerging fields of research that must be
considered in the future.