Impact of Vermicomposting Training Programme on Production, Economics and Employment Generation of Farmer – A Case Study

Vermicomposting technology is a simple and quick process of converting farm waste into valuable
compost which in-turn acts as a source of the organic amendment for improving soil health enhancing
crop production, in which certain species of earthworms are used to enhance the process of waste
conversion and produce a better end product. Vermicompost has at least four times more plant
nutrients than conventional cattle dung compost. Vermicomposting is also act as a source of creating
self employment and revenue generation. The technologies available at present in the field of
agriculture have no relevance whatsoever if these are not reached and adopted by the farmers for the
improvement of crop productivity. Krishi Vigyan Kendra is a district level knowledge centre formed
under the policy guidance of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and which acts as the
apex body to govern the Transfer of Technology (TOT) across the nation. One of the mandates of
such district level knowledge centre is to provide vocational training to the farming individuals’ viz.
farmer, farm women, rural youths, and unemployed school drop-outs. The farmers can learn the
vermicomposting technology through hands on training and take-up this as a venture for additional
income generation apart from crop husbandry and make this as one of the components in Integrated
Farming System (IFS) for creating employment. Keeping this in view, the present study was
undertaken to analyse the impact of vocational training in specific relevance to vermicomposting
technology provided to the intended clientele group during 2012. The crux of the study was focused
on the impact indicators like a) change in the level of production b) economics c) additional
employment generated etc., on the intended clientele group. The present research study was
confined to the operational cum jurisdictional area catered by Krishi Vigyan Kendra of Cuddalore
district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. One of the farmers by name Mr. V. Sekar of Kodukoor village
in Cuddalore district attended the vocational training on vermicomposting organized by ICAR- KVK
Cuddalore during 2012. Mr. V. Sekar got motivated and started a vermicomposting unit of size 6 x 2 x
2 feet with the technical guidance from KVK Cuddalore. The scientific validation of study revealed that
Mr. V. Sekar was earning a net annual income of Rs. 1,15,500/- through the sale of vermicompost
and earth worms, thereby generating an additional employment of 426 man-days per year. It was
concluded that the vocational training and technical backstopping extended by the KVK Cuddalore
was the most viable technology transformation tool in enhancing farmers’ income and employment
generation. So, vermi-composting is a potent technology to convert organic waste to valuable product
and to provide additional income for farmers. The success of any production system basically
depends on need, availability of inputs and marketing channels by which one can market with
remunerative price by using locally available resources. Some of the teething issues like marketing
and linkages must be formulated by the policy makers to promote marketing of such farm products to
sustain the farmers’ income and soil health in future so as to maintain nature ecology intact.