Thesis Abstract

Vermicomposting is a simple and effective method of converting organic waste into nutrient-rich manure using earthworms. However, the existing vermicomposting systems require substantial space and are often costly to establish and maintain. The present study aims to develop low-cost vermicomposting techniques utilizing locally available materials and farm/kitchen waste. Different reactor designs were evaluated and the most suitable design was selected based on ease of construction, material availability and cost. The performance of the selected reactor design was studied by feeding different organic waste mixtures and their conversion rate into vermicompost was determined. The nutrient composition of the final vermicompost was analyzed. The study demonstrated that a low-cost vermicomposting system can be developed using locally available materials which can help farmers and households in effective organic waste management.

Thesis Overview