Earthworms bring solvency to Jhenidah village women
Earthworms: they're not much to look at, unless you're another earthworm; but earthworms have had a profound impact on the natural environment and human civilisation since their appearance on the planet some 600 million years ago.
Myth or fact, it is said that Cleopatra so revered the earthworm and their contribution to soil fertility in the Nile Valley that she made it a crime punishable by death to remove earthworms from Egypt. In 2009, a book that set out to rank all life forms according to their impact on planet Earth awarded first place to earthworms, five ranks higher than the humble human.
In Neamotpur union in Jhenidah's Kaliganj upazila earthworms might not be revered exactly, but Thai, Indian and African earthworm species are proving themselves invaluable. Around 1,000 women in 13 villages have become self-reliant through vermiculture: using our annelid friends to make compost.
With key ingredients such as rotten plantain trees, cow dung and water hyacinth, the work of 500 grams of earthworms can create around 15 kilograms of fertiliser per month, with the number of earthworms also increasing during the process. A kilogram of compost fertiliser currently sells for around Tk. 10 while a kilogram of earthworms will fetch Tk. 2,000, prices that are good news for earthworm entrepreneurs.
“I earn around Tk.15,000 per month selling earthworms and compost fertiliser,” says Monoara Khatun of Mostabapur village. Having completed training from Japan-based NGO Hunger Free World, Monoara has been able to build a brick home and purchase a dairy cow thanks to her earthworm enterprise. She now grows organic vegetables too.
Morzina Khatun of Balarampur village meanwhile, picked up the earthworm trade during a visit to Vietnam in 2013. “Our compost association has around 1,000 members,” she says. “From compost production I'm able to cover the cost of college education for my son and daughter. I earn about Tk. 20,000 per month.”
“I've been involved with vermiculture for the last twelve years,” says Razia Khatun of Mostabapur. “I have since purchased 45 decimals of land and built a brick home.” As her husband is currently physically impaired, earthworms have given Razia the means to maintain her family. “More and more women are taking up vermiculture,” she says.
Earthworms bring benefit to soil in three ways: biologically they convert large pieces of organic matter into nutrient rich humus; chemically, through their digestive tracts, they further break down nutrients into particles that can be more readily absorbed by plants; and, physically, earthworm burrowing contributes to soil aeration and drainage. For soil health, it's all good news.
“Vermiculture compost is more effective as a fertiliser than chemicals,” says Balarampur farmer Golam Rasul, “especially as a means to restore fertility to the land. Our crops are greener and fresher with vermiculture compost.”
Dr. Gul Hossain, former director of technology transfer at the Bangladesh agriculture research centre in Dhaka agrees. “Compost contains many times the levels of key soil nutrients like nitrogen, phosphate and potash,” he says. “With compost, depleted soil has the chance to recover. It also removes disease.”
“Compost helps maintain ecological balance,” says Jhenidah environmentalist Masud Ahmed Sanzu, “Healthy soils are essential for strong biodiversity. While chemical fertilisers can harm the soil, compost fertiliser heals it.”
The trade translates into benefits for consumers too. “People should not eat any insecticide-sprayed vegetables within 14 days of its application,” says Jhenidah civil surgeon Dr. Abdus Salam. “Compost fertiliser facilitates the production of chemical free vegetables and also protects the crop from diseases.”
Neamotpur chairman Sazedur Rahman Liton is proud of the success of vermiculture in his union. “Vermiculture is alleviating poverty,” he says, “Traders come to our union to purchase compost nowadays and in the process unemployed women are finding their financial feet.”
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