Culturing Worms for Profit

by purvi radia
Posted on 2008-11-19
If you’re wondering how those tiny mini worms can make such a difference to our Earth just leave a handful of earthworms in a small patch of soil. After some days you will find the same patch of soil to be well nourished and rich in nutrients and minerals. Yes, worms are definitely eco-friendly.
If more people would realise this fact then instead of the chemical fertilisers that we all seem to favour, we can just as soon have low budget and eco friendly ways to fertilise our soil. Farming your own worms can be fun, educational and profitable.
Dr H R Prabhudesai, subject matter specialist (agronomy) said, “You need a cool environment, low budget roofing to protect the worms from sunlight, a flower vase or a recycled sheet of paper to start the project on a small scale at home. For large commercial scale farming you can use a wide long cement tank, composting material or kitchen waste.”
If you prefer to start on a small scale first, you could use your flower vase. Add the first layer of gravel or stones to about 3-4 inches. To the next layer add about 3-4 inches of coarse sand. Then make another layer of the same height by pouring sieved soil into the vase. Do check to see that vase has a hole underneath so that it doesn’t get water logged.
“The first layer is used to drain excess water, the second and the third layer serves as a breeding ground for the earthworms. Fill the top layer with a bedding of coconut husk, dead leaves, banana leaves, crushed eggshells and cow dung slurry. You can put your pre-digested kitchen waste below the top layer to prevent the stench from spreading,” mentioned Dr Prabhudesai.
The stench can be avoided by spraying effective micro-organisms (EM) on the bedding. Now you are ready to add your worms. The wastewater can be used as a nutrient for plants.
Roofing should be done on a low budget. Just erect bamboos and cover it up with coconut husk and a plastic to prevent sunlight from falling onto the compost. “Earthworms are very sensitive to light so care should be taken to see that the vase is well covered,” says Dr Prabhudesai
Most important is to protect the worms from pests and rodents. Keep the vase at a height on a stool with its legs in the tub full of water or kerosene. This will keep the rodents away.
“Water should be sprinkled and not poured. Alternately sprinkling of water can be done during the summer season and in winter once or twice a week should suffice. You can feed the worms fruit peelings, vegetable and chicken scraps (in the 4:2 ratio of vegetable:chicken). Everything should be pre-digested. Precautions should be taken to see that no oil, citrus fruits or leaves, left over gravy etc are poured into the compost,” cautions Dr Prabhudesai.
“One thing to remember is that the earthworms used for culturing are not the same as earthworms you find in the soil, although they are a species of the same earthworm. The various species of earthworm play a mighty role in nature,” he says.
One kilo of vermi-compost will bring you approximately Rs 10. If you want to commercially culture the worms, plaster the ground first. Construct a tank 6 metres long and 1metre wide. Height is not a criterion here. The same method of layering should be followed.
Worm farming is a very good career option for entrepreneurs and also for youngsters as no particular qualification is required. You can sell your worms to farmers and also to the local people.