What is vermicomposting? Discuss its importance in the Indian context.

Vermicomposting is a process of producing carbonic fertiliser by bio-chemical process using earthworms and biological wastes.

Earthworms convert the biological wastes available in the soil, like remains of the crop, waste of animals etc, into carbonic fertilisers. Indian farmers mainly use NPK fertiliser of which Nitrogen(N) and Phosphorous(P) can be produced by vermicomposting apart from Sulphur. Other benefit of vermicomposting is that they remove the wastes of rural areas by composing them. They use unnecessary organic and non-organic matters, thus cleaning our villages.

Preventing soil erosion, vermicomposting hold the soil together. Earthworms convert the complex nitrogen based products into organic products in very short time, and so the fertiliser producing is not a time taking process by vermicomposting.

The process is a part of life cycle of earthworms and so it never stops and do not require replacing them. They produce no harmful effect to the soil or its fertility.