Compost-making

Playb created using Soil Vasu's resources

1. What need/ pain point is this playbook addressing?

Creating an organic manure essential to the soil.

Farmyard Manure (FYM) is not easily available

Drawbacks of FYM

• FYM is not easily available for many small-holder rainfed farmers – a cheaper and accessible alternative is composting.

• takes a year to make.

• no clear proportions of material, some toxic material also ends up entering the compost.

• Weed seeds also get into the heap and then these germinate when you apply compost to the farm.

• Plant pathogens also remain active in FYM and can affect crops negatively when manure is applied.

Farmers are not very aware of composting – gaps in Knowledge, resource, execution at ground level – this playbook can fill this gap.

1. Who can use the playbook?

Anyone who is going to directly train farmer(s) to do composting

Primary: Trainers of Trainers and Community Resource Persons

Secondary: students, farmers, general public

1. What are the benefits to stakeholders?

Compost:

• is a great recycler

• builds soils structure

• forms aggregation

• holds moisture

• stops soil erosion

• improves aeration in the soil

• provide nutrients when plants need them

• attracts positive elements and minerals

• attracts microorganisms

• stimulates plant growth

• transforms agricultural waste into humus - the nutrient-rich end product that makes soil appear dark, hold more moisture, and allows better aeration for plants and soil organisms.

Benefits of Compost

• Neutralises the toxins

• helps plants to overcome soil pH levels that are too low (acidic) or too high (alkaline)

• Invite worms and beneficial microorganisms to the soil

• Growth Stimulator

• Compost combats rain erosion

• Manages crop diseases

1. Who created this playbook?

Created using Soil Vasu’s resources.

1. Where and when has this been tried successfully?

   1. Nanjungoad, Bellary, Magadi- ICRA

   2. Chitradurga

   3. Challakere

   4. Parts of Mysuru

   5. Chamrajnagar - Punarchith

   6. Kolar - Gram Vikas

   7. Maharashtra - Kaneri Math

   8. Gujarat

   9. Lucknow, UP

   10. Rajasthan

   11. Odisha

Where rainfed farmers are working with land where topsoil is fully eroded

Both Red and black soil - applicable to Deccan Plateau

Case studies across many districts