INTRODUCTION

The vermicomposting technology described in this manual was developed by Dr.

Rafael D. Guerrero III and validated by Mrs. Lina Villegas through pot trials. It is most
appropriate for the Philippines because it uses materials that are readily available in the
farm and the countryside. Best of all, it is low cost, low technology but scientifically
based. This technology is simple and easily understood even by people with no formal
schooling.

Farmers use fertilizers to make crops grow and the usual choice is between
organic or inorganic fertilizers. Inorganic fertilizers are factory produced and store-
bought while organic fertilizers are produced through composting. The use of organic
fertilizers is on the rise because people are becoming aware that organic fertilizers are
environment friendly, are safe to handle, increase the fertility of the land, and produce
better tasting fruits and vegetables. While it is true that organic fertilizers have low
amounts of major plant nutrients, namely nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, they also
have high organic matter content and trace elements that become included as a by-
product in the process.

Vermicomposting is the production of compost with the use of earthworms. This

lowly creature which has remained unchanged since its creation is now attracting
attention worldwide. The process involved in this vermicomposting technology is
constant in that it utilizes organic waste, whether plant and/or animal manure. The main
objective however, may vary depending upon the need at the moment. If the objective is
fast production of earthworms, this can be considered as vermiculture. If the desired
product is fertilizer, the process is called vermicomposting.

In a nutshell, we go into vermicomposting to produce fertilizer. To do this, we

have to formulate our substrate so that we get the desired carbon to nitrogen (C:N) ratio
of 25-35:1. We get the carbon from 3 parts grass and the nitrogen from 1 part animal
manure or plant source. Plant sources may be kakawate, ipil-ipil, azolla, peanut, kudzu,
baging ilog, rensoni, flamingia, mongo, etc. To increase our worm population fast, we
use animal manure and saw dust or coco dust on a half and half mixture. This is
vermiculture. Either procedure produces both fertilizer and the worm biomass however,
the formulation of the substrate has to be adjusted accordingly. Also, in most cases, the
C:N ratio from vermiculture is higher and thus may just be soil amendment albeit very
good organic source.

This manual presents a step-by-step procedure to guide you in your journey to

VERMICOMPOSTING.
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DEFINITION OF TERMS

Vermicomposting is the process of producing compost or organic fertilizer through

the action of the earthworm. The main product is the vermicompost and
earthworm mass is the by-product. In order to produce good compost, the Carbon
to Nitrogen (C:N)ratio of 25-35:1 has to be achieved.

Vermiculture is the process of propagating earthworms or simply worm-farming..

The mixture of materials is different from that of vermicomposting and is geared
toward increasing the population fast. The resultant compost can not be
considered fertilizer-like because the correct C:N ratio is not met. However, you
get soil amendment.

Vermicast is worm excreta. It is considered by many to be the best organic fertilizer

bar none. It is granular, in aggregates, which are mineral granules bonded in such
a way that they are resistant to erosion and soil compaction.

Substrate is the mixture fed to the worms which they will excrete as vermicast. It is
this mixture that will determine the efficacy of the resultant vermicast.

Carbon to Nitrogen ratio (C:N) is an estimate of the relative amounts of these two
elements in the substrate. The desired C:N is 25-35:1. If this ratio is not achieved,
the castings will at best be soil amendment, not fertilizer.

Eudrilus euginae or the African night crawler is the species that we use in
Buro-Buro Springs Farm. Originally from Africa, as the name implies, it has
acclimatized to the Philippines.

Vermicompost is interchangeably used with vermicast. While vermicast is pure

excreta, vermicompost is considered by some authors as the mixture of vermicast
with some of the substrate that the worms have not eaten in the wormbed.

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SOME FACTS ABOUT THE EARTHWORM

Aristotle called the earthworms the intestines of the earth. Charles Darwin in
1881 in his treatise “The Formation of Vegetable Mound Through the Action of Worms”
said “It may be doubted whether there are any other animals which have played so
important a part in the history of the world as have those lowly, organized creatures.”

There are about 3,000 kinds of earthworms with a great deal of variety and color
but only about 6 are of commercial use namely: the tiger worm, Eisenia foetida; African
night crawler, Eudrilus euginae; and the Asiatic worm, Pheretima posthuma. The
African night crawler has acclimatized well in the Philippines and is the more commonly
used species presently. This manual is based on the production of the African night
crawler.

Earthworms can be classified as real earthworms or compost worms. The real

earthworms are those which burrow deeply and are almost near impossible to culture in
captivity. They eat the soil. They do not eat compost. They are responsible for mixing
the different layers of the soil. So, when you see that the soil in your flowerpots are in
mounds and are disappearing, that is the action of the real earthworm. Their poo is in
mounds or middens. The other kind, the compost worms are those that live on the upper
surface of the earth and they eat the compost, not the earth. Their poo are granular but
finer and are not in mounds. They can be cultured and thus can be put to good use to
produce vermicast. Compost worm has the following characteristics:

 It is a true hermaphrodite. It has both the male and the female organs but
most species cannot impregnate itself. It needs a partner to become pregnant.

 When two worms come together, they both get pregnant.

 It is perfectly evolved so that if you put several species together in a wormbin,

they do not cross breed.

 The African night crawlers when sexually mature breed every week and the
resultant cocoon/egg/capsule can produce from 2-10 worms. Mrs. Lina Villegas
observed that in six months, 1,000 sexually mature worms could produce 30,000 on the
low side. On the high side, it can go up to 120,000.

 One worm divided by 2 equals 1. Only the part where the vital organs are
found will regenerate. The other half will die.

 Worms are hard working, unpaid, silent and efficient workers. They do not
demand pay increases nor to form unions. There is no learning curve for them because
they work as soon as they are born. All they ask for are good working, living and eating
conditions. They eat their weight per day.
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STEPS IN VERMICOMPOSTING

The technology of vermicomposting is simple and can be easily understood. A

flowchart describing the process is presented below:

Selection of Site

Selection of Housing
Type

Preparation of Raw
Materials

Decomposition Process
Stage 1
Anaerobic Decomposition
Stage 2
Aerobic Decomposition

Maintenance
of Worm Beds

Harvesting

Vermicompost Earthworm
Biomass

Drying and Storage Recycle

Source: Department of Science &Technology Phil. Council for Aquatic & Marine Research & Devt.

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1. Selection of Site

Worms are livestock and should be cared for in order that they may be put to
best use. As such, select a site that would be well above the flood level, shaded, airy and
where water and raw materials are easily available. The temperature should be about 26
degrees Celsius.
Worms are living creatures which need to be cared for and protected. They do
not have skin and die when exposed to direct sunlight. The worm beds/containers should
be shaded where it is airy. Water and raw materials are necessary and it follows that the
project, to be successful should also include cost. If the water and the raw materials will
have to be brought in at considerable expense, the cost of production would increase and
impact on the viability of the project.

2. Selection of Housing Type

The method of housing the worms is site specific and person specific.
Conditions obtaining in one place may not be present in another. As such, the
vermiculturist should decide what is best suited for him and his place. However, a word
of caution at this point is that for first-timers, it is better to use tried and tested methods
before modification and combinations are done. With more experience and confidence,
modifications and combinations may be instituted.

OPTIONS:

Wormbins/wormbeds may be made of any material available whether iron

bars with plastic lining, old plastic basins, bamboo slats or hollow blocks.
The advantage of wormbins/wormbeds is that they are movable and can be
transferred at will. Care however should be taken that they are properly
protected from direct sunlight, too much water and natural predators. The
substrate is placed in the wormbeds where the worms feed on them.
Windrows are piles of substrate that are decomposed before feeding them to
the worms. They are usually about 1 meter wide and and at least 1 meter high
and can be any length desired or practicable. They have also to be covered
either by plastic material or any organic material that will protect the substrate
and ultilmately the worms from the elements and natural predators.

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Housing structures are the best options but are also the most expensive so
will be considered when finances permit. However, if there are abandoned
structures within the site, these can be used as well for the purpose.

In the more developed countries where labor is expensive, some companies

opt for mechanical systems. Again, this can be explored when the project is
big enough and finances warrant this option because while the manpower is
low, the capital expenditure is high and hugely dependent on electricity.

3. Preparation of Raw Materials

In preparing the raw materials (substrate), it is helpful to consider the source and
quality, the carbon to nitrogen (C:N) ratio and the size of the materials.

Source and quality

In sourcing raw materials, care should be taken that one is sure of

the quality of raw materials. If using animal manure, be sure that the animals
were not dewormed as this would also deworm your project. On the other
hand, the plant source should also be free of harmful insecticides, fungicides
and herbicides which may also decimate your worm population.

The worms eat all organic waste and produce vermicast. However,
the quality of the vermicast and the speed of production is dependent on
several factors.

Carbon to Nitrogen Ratio (C:N)

As previously mentioned, the desired C:N ratio is 25-35:1. To

achieve this, mix 3 parts of carbon source with 1 part of nitrogen source (refer
to Table 1 for options on the choice of carban and nitrogen sources). In the
rural setting, one may have the luxury of choosing and formulating the raw
materials for the susbstrate in which case, the resultant vermicast is of
fertilizer quality. At a higher ratio, the carbon and nitrogen will be locked
and not easily available to the plants. A low ratio will not be able to hold the
nitrogen well and it will volatilize easily.

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Table 1. Some examples of carbon and nitrogen sources.

Carbon Source Nitrogen Source

Plant Source Animal Manure
Grass Kakawate leaves All animal manures
except dog, cat and
Rice straw Ipil-ipil leaves
human
Corn stover Mongo
Wood Kudzu
Saw dust “Baging ilog”
Cocodust wild sunflower
Cococoir katuray leaves
Paper azolla
peanut

Size of the materials

The smaller the materials being composted, the faster the process.
While shredding is not absolutely necessary, it is a vital factor in speeding up
the process.

After gathering the raw materials, mix well and shred. Wet the
mixture so it feels like a damp sponge.

4. Decomposition Process

Stage 1 – Anaerobic
Place the substrate in containers as airtight as possible. This is the anaerobic
process which is to hasten the decomposition. This is composting without air, hence the
name. This stage may last from 1 week to 1 month depending upon the quantity being
processed and the size of the particles. The substrate is ready for use when the
temperature has dropped to ambient levels and you can see the appearance of white
mushrooms.
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Stage 2 - Aerobic

When the substrate has cooled down, place the substrate in appropriate
containers. This next phase is called the aerobic stage or composting with air.

Stock with earthworms

The rate of producing vermicast is dependent on the stocking density vis-à-vis the
amount of substrate. We have observed that the worms can eat faster if the substrate is
not too thick perhaps because of easier mobility. A depth of about 4-6 inches of substrate
at this stage appears to be ideal. It has been observed that 100 kilos of substrate can be
consumed within 30 days by 1 kilo of worms.

5. Maintenance of the Worm Beds

Maintain a humidity of 80%.

Practical Tip: Test by squeezing a fistful of substrate. Five to seven drops of water
indicate about 80% humidity. Care should be taken that the substrate is taken from the
lower portion of the bed because the upper portion might already by dry but the lower
portion is still wet.

Protect the worms from natural predators. Birds, chickens, frogs, mice,
snakes and even pigs love to eat worms. While ants do not eat worms, they can kill your
population if left unattended.
Shade the worms from direct sunlight. Worms have no skin and can not
withstand direct sunlight.
Loosen the substrate gently and do not allow it to get compacted. The
constant watering of the beds will compact the substrate. Loosen the beds very gently
when needed taking care not to disturb the worms too much.

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MAINTENANCE OPTIONS:

a. The substrate may be maintained at the depth of about 6 inches and

harvested when ready. This is the fastest way to produce vermicast.
However, experience has shown that this is labor intensive because several
manual interventions are necessary. For start-up operations, this is
practical since this entails minimal capital. This can also be modified after
gaining sufficient experience.
b. The substrate may be started at the depth of 4-6 inches and when the
substrate seems to have been consumed, a thin layer of fresh substrate may
be added progressively at the rate of about 2-3 inches at a time until the
bed is filled. By doing this, the use of the bed is maximized but the
harvesting of the vermicompost will be delayed.
c. Another variation makes use of the wormbed with the use of bigger space
or structure. A 3x4 meter or 2x3 meter wormbed of hollow blocks can be
constructed. The sides can be lightly cemented so that the wormbed can
still be transferred elsewhere. Unless the site is permanent, the floor need
not be cemented but flattened and tamped. This is one way of keeping
down cost.
Place 100 kilos of substrate at one end of the wormbed and seed with 1
kilo of worms. This should occupy about 1/4 of the total area. Maintain
as usual. When the substrate is fully consumed, add another 5 cm layer of
substrate on top. Do this progressively until the vermicompost almost
reaches the levelof the wormbed.
Place another 100 kilos of fresh substrate adjacent to the pile and repeat
the same procedure until this 2nd pile reaches the same height as the first.
Continue with the third and the fourth pile. At this point the fourth pile
should be at the other end of the bed.
When watering the substrate, try not to water the previous pile so that it
dries out in the wormbed. By the time the third pile is almost done, the
first pile should be ready for harvest. The pile would be dry enough to
sieve and the worms would have already moved to the fresh food.
The advantage of this process is that manual interventions are minimized
and from the wormbeds, the vermicompost can be harvested and sieved
directly. In the other methods, the vermicompost will have to be harvested
and airdried before it can be used.

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6. Harvesting

The earthworms are well mannered and polite. They do not like to live with
their poo. They eat the substrate and deposit their castings on the top. In about 6-8
weeks, the substrate that was formerly identifiable as grass and leaves becomes
transformed into granular earthy material. The decision to harvest depends on one’s
needs.
Practical tip: Compost is ready to use when it is dark brown, crumbly and has an earthy
smell.

OPTIONS:

a. Pick the worms by hand and transfer them to a new wormbed. The
vermicompost may be allowed to dry in the shade for a few days and then
sifted if a finer compost is desired.
b. In the shade, pile the vermicompost in such a manner that it looks like a
pyramid. After a day, you can harvest the top part easily because the worms
have gone to the bottom of the pile. When you reach the bottom of the pile,
you can extract the worms manually.
c. Move the contents of the whole bed to one side. Fill the empty half with
new substrate. Allow the worms to move freely to the new food. Harvest
the castings left by the worms.
d. Fill an onion bag with fresh food and bury it in the middle of the bed. After
a week or so, the bag will be filled with worms which you can empty to a
new wormbed. This facilitates the gathering of most worms.
e. If you are not ready to harvest your vermicompost which is fully eaten by
the worms, place a net on top of the bed and place a 5 cm layer of fresh
substrate on top. You can delay harvesting for about a week (depending on
the volume of worms in the bed) because the worms will transfer to the new
food. At the same time, when you are ready to harvest, you can first remove
the net with the food and you will see that the worms have mostly
transferred here.

If you are in a hurry and need the castings, scrape the top of the bed of the
castings deposited there. You run the danger though of losing the eggs
which may be there and have not yet hatched
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7. Drying and Storage

Dry your vermicompost in the shade only. Exposing organic fertilizer to the
sun will cause it to lose its nitrogen content.
Vermicompost can be stored at 30% humidity in plastic bags. Store in a cool
place away from direct sunlight.

Practical tip: To check if it is 30% humidity, place some vermicompost in your hand and
squeeze to form a ball. Open you palm and apply some pressure with the index finger of
the other hand. If the ball breaks easily into two to three parts, that is about 30%
humidity. If the ball crumbles easily, that is less than 30%. If your finger leaves and
imprint on the ball and the ball breaks, that is more than 30%.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE VERMICOMPOST

Physical

Physically, the gross appearance of the vermicast is granular. It has been

observed that the bigger worms produce bigger granules. In the intestines of the worms,
the nutrients are ground and mixed. The worm excretes mucus which coats and binds all
these elements together.

This granular character will allow the plants to extract the elements they need,
as they need. It is believed that the vermicast can stay for as long as five years in the soil.
It also will not leach out because of its granular nature. Plants respond fast to
applications of vermicast and within a few days, new shoots are observed and the leaves
turn green.

Vermicompost is cool to the touch and holds three times its weight in water.
As such, the plants need less watering and can withstand longer periods without water.

Chemical

The pH of vermicast is almost neutral and as such, it also acts to buffer the pH
of the soil to neutral.

Vermicast can be used directly on the plants at any point because it does not
burn the plant. Compost produced traditionally can not be used directly but has to be
aged properly. Vermicast is ready for use as soon as it is produced. It is virtually
impossible to overdose with vermicast.

Vermicast has auxin, a naturally occurring hormone. This hormone is present

in the tips of plants and is responsible for the fast growth of plants. It has been observed
that especially when vermicompost is used in the soil and then vermitea is sprayed as
foliar, the growth is lush and robust.

The worms clean up whatever they eat. They also do not pass on whatever
poisons are contained in their food because they die when ingesting poison. As such,
they clean the soil and even “capture” toxins in the soil, especially heavy metals.

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Microbiological

It is living soil, full of friendly and beneficial microorganisms. These

organisms increase the fertility of the soil and protect the plants. They also awaken the
dormant microorganisms in the soil.

Some studies claim that even where there were pathogens in the substrate, the
resultant vermicast did not produce growth when cultured in the laboratory. Some
studies also claim that the vermicast also has fungicidal action.

An interesting report at the recently held Vermillenium was of a marked

interest in China in using the worms for medicinal purposes.

Dr. Elaine Ingham of Soil Foodweb Incorporated has published and

interesting manual entitled “The Compost Tea Brewing Manual”. It is about the
extraction of friendly microorganisms from compost. She defines the quality of the
compost needed to produce good quality compost tea. She says however about the need
to be sure that human pathogens should not be present in the compost tea. “Human
pathogens are killed wither by heat treatment in a thermal compost, or by passage
through an earthworm digestive system in a worm compost (see Rodale’s book on
composting, or the SFI website for more information about the definition of good
compost).”

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APPLICATION OF VERMICAST

Basal

Vermicompost can also be used for basal application. Line the trenches with
vermicompost before you put in the plants. The amount put in depends on the amount
available for use. You can also put this into the pot after you have put in some soil but
before you put in the plant.

Top Dressing

You can use vermicast as top dressing. You can place about 50 gms on top
of the soil in a small 15 cm pot and work in the vermicast into the soil. This should keep
the plants happy for about half the year.

Potting Mix

Vermicompost can also be incorporated into the potting medium. One part
vermicompost plus one part good garden soil and one part carbonized rice hulls is a very
good potting medium for most plants, generally. This potting medium can also be used
for seedling trays or to germinate seeds. If a lighter medium is desired, add more
carbonized rice hulls.

Vermi Tea

Vermitea has long been used by many aficionados based on the qualitative
reports on its effects. Dr. Elaine Ingham has many articles about the use of compost tea
in general. There are many suggested ways of producing vermitea but the effect of its
use is generally considered to be beneficial.

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OPTIONS:

a. One way of producing vermitea is to place about 5 kilos of vermitea is a

permeable bag. It can be catcha or a old pillow case which is no longer used.
Tie the bag tightly and place in a 20-gallon container. Fill with water until
about ¾ full. Stir this mixture everyday for about 1 to 2 weeks. It is best to
do this outdoors because the smell may come too strong. At the end of two
weeks, filter the tea and dilute from 1 to 10 times and spray on the plants and
the soil. Repeat this every 2 weeks. If there are infestations, you can repeat
this more often until the infestation has cleared. The vermicompost in the bad
can be added to the potting medium.

b. Another way of producing the tea is to half fill a 20 gallon container with
vermicompost and then add water to a level well below the brim of the
container. Put in some bubblers that you would use with an aquarium and
allow this mixture to brew for about a day or two. Filter the tea and dilute as
desired and spray. It is best to finish the brew within that day.

To enhance the growth of the microorganisms, you may add about 20 cc of

molasses to the brew. Rock dust and other minerals may also be added as desired.

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ECONOMICS OF VERMICOMPOSTING

Villegas (1998) suggested the following production scheme for beginners and the
possible income from their produce.

Suggested Production for Beginners

1. One (1) kg or earthworm approx 1000 pieces

2. Two thousand (2000) juveniles to breeder size earthworms per wormbin
3. Seven (7) wormbins with 100 kg substrate
4. @30% recovery, 700 kg of substrate will yield 210 kg vermicompost
5. Current price of vermicompost is P10/kg

Cost of materials

 cost/kg of earthworms P500.00

 cost/20ft iron bar 30.00
 cost/meter of plastic sheet 40.00
 cost of bolo & scycthe 250.00
 cost of plastic sprinkler 30.00

Note: unit price/wormbin is P120.00 (includes iron bar and plastic sheet)

Expected earthworm production

1. Average size of breeder earthworm- 1.0-1.5 gm.

2. Average number/kilogram- 1000-666
3. Earthworm mating schedule- once/week
4. Number of eggs/capsule- 3-5
5. Expected mating/production/month

1000 breeders
x 5 eggs/capsule
5000 eggs
x .50% hatching
2500 babies
x .50% survival
1250 babies/week
x 4 weeks/month
5000 babies/month

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6. 5000 babies 6 months 5000 breeder size

7. Monthly separation of breeder earthworms

= 5000/month
x 6 months
30000 babies mulching 5,000 breeder earthworms at end of the
sixth month

8. Total production= 30,000 + 1000 original (breeder) = 31,000

9. Current Price : P500/kg

Note: 500% production

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SOCIO-ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
OF VERMICOMPOSTING

Benefits and Advantages

With regards to the environment, vermicomposting is considered to be

ecofriendly because what was waste is now an eco-resource. Vermicompost supplies a
suitable mineral balance, improves nutrient availability, and could act as complex-
fertilizer granules.

It extends the life of the plant thus it is considered as a season extender. It can
sustain plant growth thus the plant does not mature because of lack of nutrients. A sugar
planter who used 2 tons of vermicompost per hectare said that he harvested his canes at
15 months instead of the recommended 11 months. He was amazed that the canes were
still heavy, just as sweet, did not have a hollow core and did not flower.

There is a marked improvement in the taste and sweetness of the fruits and
vegetables grown with vermicompost. A study in Hongkong revealed that the sugars in
fruits and vegetables produced with vermicompost had a higher sugar content than even
those produced with compost.

The fruits and vegetables produced do not rot easily and can withstand
marked changes in temperature. Tomatoes which were harvest while still greenish-red
but mature did not rot even after two weeks.

Disadvantages

Vermicomposting is laborious. Most people who farm or grow crops have long
been used to buying fertilizer. This idea of now making one’s own fertilizer immediately
evokes some resistance with reasons ranging from it is too costly, it is time consuming, I
do not have enough manpower.

The whole idea of making one’s own fertilizer is to be able to get something that
is difficult to buy because not too many people make it. Also, if used on a large scale,
would bring up additional expense. What is not realized here is that if one produces
one’s own from farm waste, what is put into gear is now good ecological and
environmental protection. What came from the soil is now being put back into the soil.
Added to this, what was once obnoxious waste is now an eco-resource.

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The presence of “volunteer seeds” is a marked disadvantage of using

vermicompost. These are seeds that were not planted but just grew. When making
vermicompost, inevitably some grasses and weeds that have gone to seed would be
included. In the worm’s gut, these seeds are ground against whatever the worm eats,
including soil and sand. This would lead to the scarification of the seeds. As mentioned,
auxin is present in vermicompost and this acts to ensure the robust growth of the seeds.

While this is a bother, when weeding the plants, it soon becomes apparent that the
task is quite light because the weeds come up very easily. Also, these become material
for another vermicomposting cycle. When the weeds are composted before they go to
seed, they will not bring seeds into the substrate and much more, there will be more auxin
present in the young plants.

Usefulness in Waste Management

The garbage generated daily is made up of 70% compostable and 30%

compostable. We can readily see that is we follow the Implementing Rules and
Regulations of R.A. 9003 and segregate our garbage, what will be sent to the dump sites
will only be one third of what we generate. The compost that we make from the
compostables will be brought back to the land and fertilize the soil which has been so
depleted of its organic matter.

Composting in the traditional way will take about 6 months before the compost
will be ready for use. In this manner, a considerable amount of space is needed before
the full cycle can be reached. In the case of vermicomposting, given the proper ratio
between substrate and worm biomass, the garbage will be reduced into 1/3 of its original
volume because the worms concentrate the nutrients and be ready for dispatch within 60
days as vermicompost.

The segregation of garbage will diminish greatly the leachates into the soil and
the emission of noxious gasses. It will also free the population from the messy and
smelly piles of garbage along the streets, market places, etc. It will save the garbage
collectors from being exposed daily to the handling of rotting and fetid garbage.

Testimonies
Some personal experiences shared by those who joined Buro-Buro Springs Farm
in its vermicomposting journey :

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 We agreed to supply a sugar planter enough vermicast for 2 hectares planted to

sugar because he was eager to use it immediately. He put in 2 tons per hectare of
vermicast plus half of the usual chemical fertilizer. He was able to produce 180
piculs per hectare where the average in the locality was only 70 piculs per hectare
and his land is considered poor even there. He observed that his canes grew very
tall, the leaves were dark green, lush and large. Further, the canes did not flower
when the other fields were already flowering.

 A town in Negros Occidental has about 450 hectares of irrigable rice lands way
up in the mountains. There are no roads to speak of and the farmers have to spend
about P70 to bring a sack of fertilizer to their farms. The mayor talked to the
farmers who are mostly CARP beneficiaries and introduced the concept of
vermicomposting. He brought them to our farm and bought a shredder for them.
The shredder is brought around the area on schedule and the farmers can shred
their farm waste for free. They provide the gasoline for the engine only.

When I last saw the mayor, he told me how happy he was with the project.
Before he started the project, he had to send an advance party before he went up.
Now, he goes up with only his driver. Also, the neighboring town heard of the
project and have started their own vermicomposting. He said that he was
targeting his area to be a producer of organically grown rice.

 Another mayor is looking at vermicomposting for a two pronged attack in the

rural and urban area. In the urban area, he will shred market waste and feed this
to the worms to produce castings which he will either use or sell to the vegetable
farmers. In the rural area, he will be training CARP beneficiaries to produce their
own fertilizers which they can use in their farms.

 A member of The Sanguniang Panlalawigan had 20 people from his district

undergo training on vermicomposting last year. The technology has already been
spreading in the district and they are undertaking their own training.

 In Ma-ao, Bago City, the CARP beneficiaries are already using their
vermicompost where before they were buying fertilizer at great cost. They have
also been selling some of their worms.

 In Bohol, the farmer co-operators of PBSP have already seen the effect of
vermicompost and are now going into intensive production of vermicompost.
They are also scheduling seminars for the spread of this technology.

 In Bukidnon, three sets of farmer beneficiaries have undergone training on

vermicomposting to use this on their farm waste.

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 A gentleman farmer in Manila who is exporting his vegetables is now going full
blast into vermicomposting because he knows that the same market will pay more
for organic vegetables.

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Buro-Buro Springs Farm, Brgy. Concepcion, Talisay City