Tuesday August 23, 2005
Wonder worms
By NG SU-ANN
About half of our daily trash is kitchen waste. If this waste is composted instead of dumped, it will relieve our landfill woes as well as give us useful fertiliser. NG SU-ANN speaks to a scientist who uses earthworms for the job.
To many, earthworms are slimy, wriggly creatures whose sole purpose on Earth is to make people cringe.
But in the agriculture sector, these creepy-crawlies are the best “gardeners” and every farmer’s friend.
They break down dead plant materials and other organic wastes, recycle the nutrients and turn over the soil. Apart from being burrowers, these worms also produce four substances – urine, faeces, coelomic fluid and mucus – which are ideal for plant growth.
Earthworms can be easily found in one’s neighbourhood or bought from nurseries. Charles Darwin was one of the first persons to note the importance of earthworms, more than a century ago.
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Dr Sultan Ahmed Ismail putting some earthworms into a vermicompost tank in Penang. |
Darwin was, however, sceptical that his work would be taken seriously. He was right to a large extent: enamoured with the wonders of agrochemicals, man did not think that “lowly worms” were any good.
But today, many have returned to the earthworm. Vermiculture (breeding of earthworms) is now touted as a healthy alternative. But how does one deploy the creature’s skill?
Vermitech is a worm-powered technology that uses worms to recycle garbage into valuable fertiliser called vermicompost.
Dr Sultan Ahmed Ismail – India’s vermitech pioneer, organic farming expert and college lecturer – has spent 30 years of his life on this field.
“Once, my wife was furious with me when a few of the worms I was culturing at home ventured onto our bed. However, she became used to them in no time as worms have become more than mere houseguests ? they are a big part of my life.”
He was in Penang to conduct a Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) workshop on vermitech farming for 30 farmers in the northern region.
“This technology may not be a new one but it has been fine-tuned over the years. Previously, Indian farmers would dig a pit on the ground and dump their garbage. Worms were automatically attracted to the pit and thus helped to mix the contents up. That was how fertiliser was produced the old fashion way.
“But this process takes between six and nine months. It is not practical to use it today as farmers harvest their crops every four months,” he explained.
Dr Sultan Ahmed, who is the New College’s Biotechnology Department head in Chennai, India, said between 2,500 and 3,000 species of earthworms had been identified in the world of which over 500 species are found in India.
To assist in producing fertiliser, three kinds of earthworms are required. Epigeic worms are found on the soil surface while anecic ones burrow1m deep. Endogeic worms build complex lateral burrows deep in the soil and rarely surface.
“If you are in the living room and there are food ingredients waiting to be cooked in the kitchen, how can you get the food to come to you? A waiter and chef could be of assistance.
“Similarly, treat epigeic worms as chefs who are preparing food (fertiliser) and you need epigeic and endogeic worms to become waiters who serve the food to the customers (plant roots),” he said.
Earthworms can be cultured by applying simple composting procedures in pits, crates, tanks, concrete rings or any container. Dr Sultan Ahmed said the basic procedure only required twigs, organic matter, cow dung and water.
“Lay the twigs as your base. Then, pour organic matter, possibly shredded, on top of it up to a height of between 25cm and 30.5cm. Next, sprinkle it with diluted cow dung water followed by water. Repeat the layers until the mixture reaches a height of 1.2m to 1.5m and cover it with polythene sheet, preferably black.
“Heat will generate inside. After three to five days, its temperature will increase to 60-70°Celsius. In another 10 to 15 days when the temperature reduces, turn the heap over and leave for another 10 to 15 days before it is ready to be fed to earthworms to produce vermicompost,” he said.
Dr Sultan Ahmed’s interest in this field came about by accident. In 1978, he was invited to give a seminar on animal behaviour. As he needed live animals for the seminar, he approached the state zoology department. They only had one animal available at that time – earthworms.
“So, my topic was called How An Earthworm Behaves Towards Different Soils?”
For his efforts in conservation, the 54-year-old grandfather received the state-level Arignar Anna Award for Environment Education and Awareness in Chennai on World Environment Day on June 5.
He is also the managing director of Ecoscience Research Foundation, a non-governmental organisation which conducts studies on life sciences, environmental and developmental issues.
A staunch advocate of recycling efforts, Dr Sultan Ahmed has even built a special mechanism to channel wastewater from his bathroom and kitchen to his garden.
“My garden is becoming more like a forest each day. I plant all kinds of things in it. Among my plants are bananas, coconuts, mangoes, cherries, hibiscus and orchids,” he said.
On his philosophy of life, he had this to say: “I am going through the earthworms now. When I die, they will go through me.”
Dr Sultan Ahmed’s website is www.erfindia.org.
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