A FIELD VISIT REPORT

ON
VERMICOMPOSTING SITE

KALIMATI, KATHMANDU

SUBMITTED BY:
UPENDRA SAUD

2019

Karnali College of Health Sciences

SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS

IN THE SUBJECT OF ‘PROFESSIONAL ENGLISH’

(Course Code: TPP101.5.4 APE)

FOR DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH

SUBMITTED TO:

Karnali College of Health Sciences

Gaushala, Kathmandu

2019
RECOMMENDATION LETTER

I am pleased to certify that the report entitled “A TERM PAPER

REPORT ON VERMICOMPOSTING SITE” has been carried out by
UPENDRA SAUD for the partial fulfilment of Bachelor of Public Health.
This work was conducted under my Supervision. Report includes useful
academic information on the vermicomposting. I would like to
recommend this report for its final evaluation.

…………………………….

MR. Roshan Khadka

HOD,

Department of Public Health

Karnali College of Health Sciences

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APPROVAL SHEET

It is certified that this report entitled “A TERM PAPER ON

VERMICOMPOSTING SITE” is the bona fide work of UPENDRA
SAUD was conducted under our guidance and supervision as a partial
fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Bachelor of Public Health
from Karnali College of Health Sciences of Purbanchal University.

………………… ………………..

MR. Roshan Khadka Mr. Suraj Khanal

HOD

Department of Public Health

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Through our hard work and efforts, we were able to prepare this report but it
would not have been possible from without the help of Suraj sir who provided us
the necessary and required information to accomplish this report.

We are thankful to Mr Roshan Khadka, Head of Public Health Department, who

has been supportive, encouraged and guided for the preparation of this report.

Bachelor of Public Health

Karnali College of Health Science

TABLE OF CONTENT
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Acknowledgement ………................................................................... i

List of Abbreviation…………………………………………………. ii

Introduction.......................................................................................... 1

Background................................................................................ 1

Objectives ................................................................................. 3

Methodology…………........................................................................ 4

Findings................................................................................................ 5

Conclusion and Recommendation....................................................... 9

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INTRODUCTION
Vermicomposting or worm composting is a simple technology for converting
biodegradable waste into organic manure with the help of earthworms.
Vermicompost is the product of the composting process using various species of
worms, usually earthworms, to create a mixture of decomposing vegetable or food
waste, bedding materials, and vermicast. Vermicomposting is a simple composting
process that takes advantage of what earthworms do naturally, but confines the
worms to bins making it easier for farmers to feed them and to harvest their
nutrient-rich compost. Since all worms digest organic matter, in principle, any type
of worm can be used; however, not all are equally well adapted to living in bins
since some worms prefer to live deep in the soil while others are better adapted to
living closer to the surface. The red worm (Eisenia foetida) is ideal for
vermicomposting because its natural habitat is close to the surface and it is
accustomed to a diet rich in organic matter, this makes it ideally suited to digesting
kitchen scraps and to living in bins. The earthworms are bred in a mix of cow
dung, soil, and agricultural residues or predecomposed leaf-litter. The whole mass
is converted into casts or vermicompost, which can be used as a fertilizer on all
types of plants in vegetable beds, landscaping areas, or lawns. Vermicompost
contains water-soluble nutrients and is an excellent, nutrient-rich organic fertilizer
and soil conditioner. It is used in farming and small scale sustainable, organic
farming. Vermicomposting has the following benefits:
 provides nutrients to the soil
 increases the soil’s ability to hold nutrients in a plant-available form
 improves the soil structure’
 improves the aeration and internal drainage of heavy clay soils
 increases the water holding ability of sandy soils
 provides numerous beneficial bacteria
 it restores microbial population, which includes nitrogen fixers, phosphate
solubilizers, etc.,
 provides major and micro-nutrients to the plants,

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  improves soil texture and water holding capacity of the soil,• provides good
aeration to soil, thereby improving root growth and proliferation of
beneficial soil microorganisms,
 decreases the use of pesticides for controlling plant pathogens,
 improves structural stability of the soil, thereby preventing soil erosion,
 enhances the quality of grains/fruits due to increased sugar content
`
The vermicomposting process had played a major role in decreasing the use of
hazardous chemical fertilizers. Vermicomposting is one of the best method of solid
waste management. Through the use of vermicompost the soil can be made more
fertile which affects the yielding capacity of crops.

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OBJECTIVES
General objective:
- To review the vermicomposting and its method of preparation.
1.2.2 Specific objectives:
 To gain knowledge about vermicomposting.
 To analyze the vermicomposting process
 To understand the importance of vermicomposting.
 To know about the materials required for vermicomposting.

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METHODOLOGY
- Descriptive Study

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FINDINGS
1. Process of Vermicomposting
It deals with the various aspects like:
(i) Types of container,
(ii) Filling it with moist bedding
(iii) Introducing worms and
(iv) Feeding the worms on a regular basis.

These types of aspects for vermicomposting are practiced in small scale

vermicomposting but in larger scale the basic processes are same excepting
the composting containers.
1. Composting container:
The shape or size of the containers depends upon the amount of waste to be
composted and the number of earthworms which we want to culture.
In 1m × 1m × 0.5 m high container 2000 adult earthworms can be
maintained which can convert 200 kg wastes into composting material per
month. In 2.23 sq. meter container 10 kg earthworms can be maintained
which can convert about 1-ton waste per month. The selected container
should be cleaned before use.
The followings are considered as composting materials which are being
listed below:
(i) The animal dungs such as cattle dung, goat dung, sheep dung and poultry
dropping are used as the composting material. The preliminary testing and
precautions are necessary for the pathogens which can be harmful to
earthworms excepting cow dung.

(ii) The agricultural waste materials which include the discarded part after
harvesting and threshing of the paddy, wheat, etc. The vegetable wastes, leaf
litter and sugarcane trash are considered as the composting material. The
various kinds of forestry wastes, such as peels, saw dust are also considered.
The leaf litters, such as mango, guava and grasses are used as composting
materials.

(iii) The garbage includes various kinds of biodegradable and non-

degradable materials. The biodegradable materials, such as kitchen
vegetable waste, paper, should be sorted, recycled or composted.

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2. Bedding material:
At the bottom of the container, a 2-3 inches thick layer of biodegradable
matter, e.g., husk, grasses, stem of crops and sugar cane trash, etc. which are
used as the feed of earthworms, is laid. Next to this layer, another layer of
2″-3″ thick of powdered cow dung is put. The whole material is maintained
moistened and required number, of live earthworms are released. Above this
a 7″-9″ thick layer of earthworm feed matter is put and watered. The whole
material is covered with a moist gunny bag. The earthworms would multiply
by consuming the food and compost the matter from upper layers. The upper
layer of vermicompost becomes ready within 60-70 days. Gradually the
whole matter will be converted into vermicompost within 30-40 days with
the bacterial decomposition.

Feed Materials of Earthworms:

Earthworms eat decomposed organic matters. So various kinds of food are
prepared used in vermiculture.

A list of feeds is given below:

1. Old cow dung which is used after 7 days.

2. Cow dung is mixed with kitchen wastes in the ratio of 10:3.
3. Cow dung is mixed with agricultural wastes in the ratio of 10:3.
4. Cow dung is mixed with rice polish or wheat bran in the ratio of 10: 3.
5. Cow dung is mixed with sewage sludge in the ratio of 10: 3.

Only cow dung or mixed dung, such as goat dung, sheep dung or poultry
dropping are used. Mixed dung is prepared in the ratio of 50: 50. Any of the
above-mentioned mixed materials are mixed thoroughly. Heaps should be
kept in shady places for 2-3 weeks and watered. Then the material is dried
and beaten to make the material powdery which is used as feed for
earthworms.

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2. Importance of Vermicomposting
i. Management of organic waste
ii. Simple technology
iii. Eco-friendly
iv. Waste reduction at the source

3. Materials required for Vermicomposting

• Farm wastes (straw from wheat, soybean, chickpea, mustard, etc.) were
used for vermicomposting
• Fresh dung
• Wastes: dung ratio (1:1 on dry weight basis)
• Earthworm: 1000–1200 adult worms (about 1 kg per quintal of waste
material)
•Water: 3–5 L in every week per heap or pit.

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CONCLUSION
Vermicomposting is the best organic method of making soil fertile. The
vermicomposting has resulted to several benefit for industry, farmers, environment
and the national economy. Through the use of earthworm, vermicomposting is
done. The major output of vermicomposting is vermicompost which is stable fine
granular organic manure, which enriches soil quality by improving its
physiochemical and biological properties. It is highly useful in raising seedlings
and for crop production. The process of vermicomposting takes place in a short
period of time. So the vermicomposting is one of the method of using and
recycling the organic waste.

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