Monthly Progress Report

Experiential learning programme

(AGR 409)
VERMICOMPOST-PRODUCTION AND PRACTICES

SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR

THE DEGREE OF

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (HONS.) IN AGRICULTURE

Submitted by
Name: Alok Chandra
Registration Number: 12008626
Section: H2E02

Supervisor Name
Dr. Dhanshree Bharat Jadhav

School of Agriculture, Lovely Professional University,

Phagwara-144401, Punjab, India
2024
INTRODUCTION OF ELP:-
The Student READY (Rural Entrepreneurship Awareness Development Yojna)
program places significant emphasis on ELP (Experiential Learning Programme). This
integral component is designed to foster the development of professional skills and
knowledge through practical hand son experiences. It seeks to instil confidence and the
ability to collaborate effectively within a team, while also equipping students with the
essential capabilities for managing enterprises. The goal is to empower the younger
generation to emerge as successful entrepreneurs. This program actively engages
students in activities that promote critical thinking, problem solving, and decision-
making in contexts that hold personal significance for them. It encourages a learning
approach that includes creating opportunities for postexperience reflection, feedback,
and the application of acquired knowledge and skills to novel situations. Experiential
learning, essentially, is a process of learning by doing, where students learn through
thoughtful reflection on their practical experiences. While hands-on learning or training
can incorporate aspects of experiential learning, it may not necessarily involve students
reflecting on their role, which tends to be relatively passive.

• Objectives of ELP:
1. The participants are eager to be actively involved in the experience.
2. The participants demonstrate the ability to reflect on their experiences.
3. The participants possess and utilize analytical skills to conceptualize the experience.
4. The participants exhibit decision-making and problem-solving skills to effectively
apply new ideas gained from the experience.
5. To develop guidelines for teaching through experiential approaches.
6. To relate experiential learning to education for sustainable futures.
 • Objective of Vermicomposting:
1. To learn the basics of vermicompost production and practices.
2. To enable the students to produce nutrient rich vermicompost from the available
farm waste.
3. To understand different methods of vermicomposting and different species of
earthworms.
4. To build capacity for exploring entrepreneurship/business opportunities from the
skill.

Fig: Vermicompost unit

• Introduction to Vermicompost:
 Vermicomposting is manufacturing and generating organic manure with the use of
earthworms, who act as the consumer of the organic matter and excrete castings, that is of
higher quality when compared with other inorganic manure. Vermi-composting, or
composting with earthworms, is an excellent technique for recycling food waste in the
apartment as well as composting yard wastes in the backyard. Vermicomposting has the
added advantage of allowing you to create compost round the year, indoors during the
winter and outdoors during the summer.

• The Earthworms:
Earthworms are tubular, segmented, bristle bearing worms contributing to the biomass of
soil invertebrates. They are called biological indicators of soil fertility. They are
supportive for keeping healthy populations of bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes, protozoans,
insects, spiders, millipedes, and many other organisms present in soil.

• Species used in Vermicomposting:

In India, two species are being extensively used for vermiculture namely Eisenia fetida
and Eudrilus eugeniae are being extensively used, reason being their inbuilt adaptability to
climatic conditions per existing distributional range, local availability and in view of needs
for better waste conversion etc.

Fig: Earthworm
Eisenia fetida:
 ✓ Commonly called red wriggler, red worm, tiger worm,
vermicomposting worm etc., the Eisenia fetida have
clitellum that spreads over 7-9 segments in length from
24th to 32nd segment.

✓ They appear coloured (red, brown, or purple or even

darker). The average conversion efficiency ranges up to
7mg/worm /day.

✓ Mature adults can attain up to 1.5 gm body weight and

attain reproduction capacity within 50-55 days of
hatching from cocoon.

• Why Eisenia fetida? Fig: Eisenia fetida

Eisenia fetida is the mostly widely used earthworm in Verm technology for
vermicomposting due to their hardy nature and easier culturing process. They have a
high multiplication rate and thereby converts the organic matter into vermicompost unit
in 45-50 days. Since it is a surface feeder it converts organic materials into vermicompost
from top.

• Do’s & Don’ts:

Do’s Don’ts

Pumpkin Citrus fruits

Crushed eggshells Salty or oil foods

Banana peels, tea leaves Onions & garlics

Fruit and vegetables detritus Meat or dairy products

• Materials & Methods:

The materials used for the vermicomposting:
✓ Cow dung ✓ Straws
 ✓ Earthworms ✓ Gloves
✓ Rose cans ✓ Spades
✓ Shovels ✓ Rakes
✓ Gunny bags ✓ Trolly
✓ Sieve ✓ Buckets
✓ Psychrometer ✓ Soil Thermometer
✓ Sealing Machine ✓ Polythene

The types of methods practiced in our vermicomposting unit are:

1. Pit Method:
In this method, the organic matter is collected in
cemented pits. There are a total of 12 pits in the
vermicompost unit. The pits are made up of bricks and
cement. The dimensions of the pit are (20 feet x 3 feet
x1.6 feet).
2. HDPE Method:
HDPE grow bags are made from strong woven high
density polyethylene material which ensures greater
strength, waterproofing, higher tear and puncture
resistance, resistance to mould etc. HDPE grow bags
have full UV protection against the sun for a longer life
and thus are highly durable. The bags used in our unit are of dimensions (11.7 feet
x 4 feet x 1.1 feet).
3. Heap Method:
It is a method of aerobic composting that involves mixing
waste materials and partially decomposed dung into
heaps. The heap in our unit is of the dimensions (12 feet x
4 feet x 1.5 feet)

DESCRIPTION
Removal of debris - and colloids from vermicompost pits is necessary to
maintain optimal airflow and prevent foul odors, ensuring efficient
decomposition and nutrient-rich compost production.
Shallow rotation of vermicompost - pit cow dung promotes uniform
decomposition and nutrient distribution, optimizing earthworm activity and
facilitating efficient organic matter breakdown for higher-quality
vermicompost output.
Irrigation of the vermicompost pit - ensures adequate moisture levels for
the composting process, facilitating microbial activity and the breakdown of
organic matter into nutrient-rich compost.
Collection of fresh cow dung - for vermicompost provides a rich source of
organic material, essential for feeding the composting worms, stimulating
microbial activity, and accelerating the decomposition process, resulting in
nutrient-rich compost.
Preparing a slurry - from cow dung for vermicompost helps break down the
organic matter into smaller particles, facilitating easier consumption by
composting worms. This accelerates the composting process, leading to faster
production of nutrient-rich vermicompost.
Earthworms in the pit - enhance vermicompost by breaking down organic
matter more efficiently through their digestive processes, enriching the
compost with beneficial microorganisms and nutrients.
Cleaning and levelling - the vermicompost unit ensures optimal airflow and
distribution of nutrients, promoting efficient decomposition and healthier
compost output.
Sieving of vermicompost - for removal of colloids Packaging of
vermicompost maintains its quality by preventing moisture loss and
preserving nutrient content, ensuring its effectiveness for agricultural use and
enhancing marketability.
Protein solutions in vermicompost - foster earthworm multiplication by
providing essential nutrients, promoting reproductive health, and enhancing
overall worm vigor. These solutions act as a nutrient-rich medium, supporting
optimal conditions for earthworm growth, reproduction, and population
expansion.
 Fig: Earthworm Fig: Bucket Fig: Gunny Bags Fig: Soil
Thermometer

bags machine dung

Fig:
Fig:Gloves
Straw Fig:Fig: Rake
Polythene Fig: Shovel
Fig: Sealing Fig: Psychrometer
Fig: Cow

Fig: Rose can Fig: Spade Fig: Sieve Fig: Trolley

 PHOTO GALLARIES

Collection of fresh cow dung Addition of slurry over vermicompost pits

Preparation of cow dung slurry Shallow rotation of pit dungs Addition of earthworms in pit

SOLUTION FOR EARTHWORM IRRIGATING VERMICOMPOST ADDITION of ORGANIC WASTE

MULTIPLICATION PITS IN COW DUNG

Covering pits with straw

Packaging Sieving
 ACTIVITIES

WEEK 9 (22/04/2024 – 26/4/24)

 Collection of fresh cow dung.
 Removal of debris and weeds from the pits.
 Preparation cow dung slurry.
 We gone through decomposing of fruits peel in the cow dung.
 Filling of HDPE pits with cow dung slurry.
 Irrigating the vermicompost pits to maintain moisture in the pits.
 Cleaning of our vermicompost unit.
 Extraction of earthworms from the pit which is having more colloids and
having unwanted slurry other then cow dung. And taking that all unwanted
slurry from the pit and filling with cow dung.

Collection of fresh cow dung Removal of colloids Extraction of

earthworms

WEEK 10 (29/4/24 – 03/5/24)

 Collection of fresh cow dung.
 Removal of debris and weeds from the pits.
 Preparation cow dung slurry.
 Preparation of structure for hip method.
 Addition of earthworms in the HDPE.
 Packaging and selling of vermicompost for selling purpose.
 Irrigating the vermicompost pits to maintain moisture in the pits.
 Extraction of earthworm from pit 1 and 2 and filling in pits which is having
less no. of earthworms in pits. And filling those space with cow dung slurry.
  Covering of pits with wet jute to maintain the moisture in summer for long
period.

Covering of pits with jute bag (wet) Earthworm extracted and filled slurry Hip method

WEEK 11 (06/5/24 -10/5/24)

 Collection of fresh cow dung.
 Removal of debris and weeds from the pits.
 Preparation cow dung slurry.
 Filling of HDPE pits with cow dung slurry.
 Irrigating the vermicompost pits to maintain moisture in the pits.
 Selling of vermicompost.
 Preparation of structure for vermi-wash.

Vermi wash structure Weeding in vermicompost unit Irrigating pits to maintain

moisture

WEEK 12 (13/5/24 – 17/5/24)

 Collection of fresh cow dung.
 Removal of debris and weeds from
 the pits.
 Preparation cow dung slurry.
  Covering of pits with wet jute to maintain the moisture in summer for long
period.
 Irrigating the vermicompost pits to maintain moisture in the pits.
 Collection of scrape materials for preparation of structure.
 Performing Research and experiments nutrient rich vermicompost and
earthworm population increament.
 Addition of earthworm in the pits.

Covering pits with wet jute bag Addition of earthworms in pit Experiment on high nutrient
vermicompost

WEEK 13 (20/5/24 – 24/5/24)

 Collection of fresh cow dung.
 Removal of debris and weeds from the pits.
 Preparation cow dung slurry.
 Filling of HDPE pits with cow dung slurry.
 Irrigating the vermicompost pits to maintain moisture in the pits.
 Addition of solution in pits for earthworm multiplication.

Preparation of solution Addition of earthworms in pit Prepared cow dung slurry

WEEK 14 (27/5/24 – 31/5/24)

 Collection of fresh cow dung.
 Removal of debris and weeds from the pits.
 Preparation cow dung slurry.
 Seiving of vermicompost. Removal of colloids as well as extraction of
earthworms.
 Irrigating the vermicompost pits to maintain moisture in the pits.
 Cleaning of our vermicompost unit.

 Selling of vermicompost.

Preparation of cow dung slurry Collection of fresh cow dung Earthworms extracted and
filled slurry

Overview of this month progress

This monthly agricultural overview encompasses a range of essential tasks aimed

at ensuring the health and productivity of crops. Activities include turning of cow
dung to remove the excess heat from it, making slurry to feed the earthworms and
also to fill the pits, manual weeding, cleaning around the unit, interaction with the
ICAR team, collecting cow dung, preparation of protein solution for rapid
multiplication of the earthworms, refilling HDPE pits, setting up stall at the Flower
Show, packaging of vermicompost for selling purpose and watering both the kind
of pits to maintain temperature, moisture and humidity of the pits. Overall, this
comprehensive approach underscores a commitment to sustainable farming
practices, emphasizing soil health, efficient water management, and maximizing

yields for a successful harvest.