SUCCESS STORY - SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS THROUGH NURSERY AND VERMICOMPOST BED RAISING

Constructions of new houses in rural areas, many people are planting saplings of various plants on their house’s roofs and backyards to enhance its beauty. As a result, the demand for tree saplings has increased these days. Taking this as an opportunity, Sadhana Roy, a member of Radha Gobinda Self Help Group of Ambicapur Gaon Panchayat under BMMU Silchar Development Block, Assam State Rural Livelihoods Mission has initiated a very small commercial nursery unit of Flowers, Herbs like Aloe Vera, Tulsi, Neem etc. and Fruit crop like Red Lady papaya etc. With income generation her initiative will also help in freeing the environment from the ill effects of climate change.

Seeing her initiative, BMMU officials advised her to raise her own Vermicompost bed. Considering the fact that, if she makes organic compost of her own then there is no need to buy from outside, which will save her money too. Vermicompost can be made at very low cost as Vermicompost requires rotten banana plant and at least 1 week of old cow dung which are easily available in rural area at very low cost. Also the lady gathered her own kitchen vegetable waste and collected from other members for the production of the compost. We trained her in Vermicompost making technology. 

The lady purchased a tarpaulin Vermicompost tanks from an e-commerce site. The tank she made ready with iron net frames on top to protect the worms from rats, lizards and birds. The money she spent, had borrowed from her SHG who have availed recently a grant of Rs. 25000 under Kanaklata Mahila Sabalikaran Yojana.

The first compost was ready within 60 days of release of 500 Gms of worms into the bed. They got more than 100 Kgs of compost in the first harvest. Now she is using the Vermicompost in her small nursery and she also sells it outside for 25 rupees per kg. The business that she started with only 500 grams of worms has grown to 2 kg today. Now she is also selling worm at Rs. 2 each.

She doesn't have to wait for a market for her produce because her customers are her own self help group members and others self help group members in her Gaon Panchayat. Meeting all the expenses the member is earning approx Rs. 5000 per month from her business. In this way she has become self-reliant and her income has also increased as a result her standard of living has improved too.