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Vermiculture brings solvency to Faridpur women

SuziT Kumar Das, Faridpur
Environment-friendly vermiculture sees a growing popularity in different upazilas of Faridpur.
Around 900 people, mostly women, are now involved in making vermicompost in six upazilas of Faridpur, said Kartik Chandra Chakrabarty, deputy director (DD) of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) in Faridpur.
"Four years ago, 1 received training from an NGO on making compost from cow dung and plants and trees leaves. There I learnt that chemical fertilisers which we use in our croplands act like poison," said Ambiya Begum, 42, wife of Khoaj
Sheikh of Chonpocha village.
"For making vermicompost, we collect plants, tree leaves and cow dung and keep in a big earthen hole. These items rot in 20 to 25 days. It is used as feed for earthworms, and finally vermicompost is made from the earthworms' dung. Now I can make 60 kg of fertiliser per month and help my family with the earning from it," she added.
Zamela Begum, 39, wife of Choken Fakir of the same village, said, "Half kg of earthworms can make around 15 kg of fertiliser per month. During the process the earthworms also increase. A kg of compost fertiliser currently sells for around Tk 10.1 also sell a kg of
earthworms forTk 4,000."
"The demand of vermicompost is high among the local farmers as it is better than chemical fertilisers. Many people offer advance payment to get vermicompost from me but 1 cannot meet the demand of all," said Zamela, who earns around Tk 15,000 per month by selling earthworms and natural fertiliser.
Vermicompost, very effective for soil fertility, helps crops to grow better, said Abdul Salam, 55, a farmer of Mollikpur village.
Muzahidul Islam, sub-assistant agricultural officer of Sadar upazila, said, "After starting at Chonpocha village in 2015, vermicompost
making is increasing in Kanaipur union. Many women are taking up vermiculture as it brings some extra earning for their families."
Around 30 women in five villages under Kanaipur union of Faridpur Sadar upazila are making compost with cow dung and plants, said Abul Bashar, upazila agriculture officer.
Faridpur DAE DD Kartik Chandra Chakrabarty said, "Compost fertiliser contains good amounts of key soil nutrients like nitrogen, phosphate and potash. It facilitates the production of toxin-free vegetables and crops. We provide necessary suggestions to farmers to make vermicompost.”