Vermi-Composting

Students from classes VI-VIII of St.Mary’s School Dwarka prepared manure in the school.

This was done in a group. It took approximately fifty days for the manure to be prepared. The manure was made with help of kitchen waste, dry leaves, worms, sand and peels of fruits and vegetables. There were different stages involved in process of preparing. 

Firstly the sand was poured into the pit, followed by dry leaves and worms. After the manure was packed into cloth bags made from old bed sheets and sarees.  Each recycled bag contained half a kg of manure.  Finally, the students and teachers went to market to sell manure. The students went to the nearby malls residential societies and nurseries. They advertised the product to the shopkeepers, customers and passersby. They told them about the process of manufacturing and also sold it enthusiastically. It was a great experience for the students, as well as for the teachers as it was a first for both.

 

 

How to set up Vermicompost pit

Some call it the lazy man’s compost while other see it as a practical place for  waste overflow. However, you look at it, Vermicomposting is a simple way of preparing enriched composts with the use of earthworms. It is one of the easiest methods to recycle agricultural waste and to produce qualist compost. Earthworms, popularly known as “Black Gold” consume biomass and excrete it in the digested form which is beneficial for soil.

Vermicomposting allows students to learn about the process that keep the Earth healthy and also create a resource for school or neighborhood.

Vermicomposting is done by various methods, among them; bad and pit methods are most common. Before preparing the vermicompost, we have to make sure that the vermicompost, unit is in a cool, moist and shady place. Once the pit is ready, lay a bed of paddy straw in it. Then at the height of 4 inches spread cow dung and chopped dried leafy materials in the proportion of 3:1. This is kept for partial decomposition for 15-20 days. Take care to see that the dung is not very lumpy. Once the earthworms have been place, you are ready to dump the wet waste that you segregated. Make sure that the water is sprinkled immediately after the introduction of worms. Keep adding to the garbage until the pile of garbage is at least a foot high. The vermicompost pit should be covered with old gunny bags and water is to be sprinkled on it to keep it moist. After thirty days, one will notice that the raw material is completely decomposed and appears black and granular. Your vermicompost is now ready. We can now use this vermicompost as fertilizers for plants and trees.

Vermicompost will not only make the school more clean and less polluted but children will also understand their role in maintaining a healthy environment. This process is not only economically viable but an environmentally safe nutrient supplement for organic food production. Moreover, it is an easily adoptable low cost technology which provides efficient conversion of organic wastes or crop for animals.

Thus, it is both rewarding and satisfying.

Best out of Waste

St. Mary's new adventure 'Vermenterprise' is going underway! We are all very pleased and excited to watch our new guests-the worms doing their activity of producing organic manure.
Being a green school we profess on the importance of the usage of organic materials for day to day use. This project has created much enthusiasm among all. Watching the worms do thier activity arouses a great interest.
The manure will have to be sold to the members of our community. To link this we've decided to make cloth bags to pluck the manure in. So, to carry on with our endeavor, children brought old and discarded clothes to make bags. The bags had to be made to hold 1/2 to 1Kg of manure

This project is underway. Students are cutting and serving to make bags. This is 'Best Out of Waste.'

Vermicomposting

We know that you all are wondering how our worm farm is doing.So,here is some news for you.For the past few days even our team members are wondering what these red worms might be doing in the pits since the time they were introduced to the whole new world of sumptuous food.

Our team members hope that they are carrying on their work of satisfying their hunger pangs and in the process also fulfilling our motive of composting. The vegetable scraps, dry leaves and grass has started disintegrating and the soil appears to be more brown-black in colour.

The weather conditions in Delhi is also conducive in maintaining the dampness in the pit and we are eagerly waiting for our red worms friends to accomplish their task so that we have our first harvest. Our anxiety and curiosity of unveiling the pits is making us restless but we need a little patience for the moment of truth.

Happy composting till our next post appears on your screen.

Just to say Hello!

We know that you all are wondering how our worm farm is doing.So,here is some news for you.For the past few days even our team members are wondering what these red worms might be doing in the pits since the time they were introduced to the whole new world of sumptuous food.

Our team members hope that they are carrying on their work of satisfying their hunger pangs and in the process also fulfilling our motive of composting. The vegetable scraps, dry leaves and grass has started disintegrating and the soil appears to be more brown-black in colour.

The weather conditions in Delhi is also conducive in maintaining the dampness in the pit and we are eagerly waiting for our red worms friends to accomplish their task so that we have our first harvest. Our anxiety and curiosity of unveiling the pits is making us restless but we need a little patience for the moment of truth.

Happy composting till our next post appears on your screen.

Season in Delhi,India

Delhi-Drenched in water due to heavy rainfall; Cool Breeze and Smiling faces. This is the face of Delhi in the month of August.

Our worms are enjoying this weather and the temperature is appropriate for them to breed. The compost is moist and the water can easily undergo the process of rotting to form vermicompost. Volunteers visited the vermicompost pit and analyzed the current situation. They mixed the organic matter and worms again. The level of excitement has risen after seeing the current condition of the vermicompost. An additional bag of leaf litter is ready to be added to the compost.

Teachers and student volunteers have started working on the marketing and selling strategies. Children are being made aware of the benefits of using eco-friendly manure.

The staff and volunteers are regularly monitoring the vermicompost formation and are eagerly waiting the day. When the vermicompost will be ready for sale.  

Research program

Having conducted a thorough research and choosing the business enterprise to be started, the students of all the teams involved in school enterprise prepared a business and financial plan under the guidance of the teachers. Different departments such as production department, finance department and marketing department analysed the various strategies to decide the business plan which will be practiced. The students gave the background about the school in the business plan and laid down the objective to be achieved. They also decided upon the operational plan i.e. how the product (vermicompost) will be produced, advertised and sold in the target market, what sales promotional strategies should be adopted to increase sales & how the profits will be utilised. They also analysed the sustainability of the project & how business cab be expanded to a large scale in the long run.

The financial plan was made after conducting several meetings with the managing committee. The cost structure and profit was also estimated.

Monitoring of Vermicompost

After the successful introduction of the worms, regular monitoring of the vermicompost pit is done by the monitoring team. This process takes time as compared to the artificial fertilizer.

The team ensures:-

•  That the area is moist by checking on a daily basis. 
•  Biodegradable waste is collected from the school canteen and kitchen regularly for the pit.
•  Enough leaf litter is collected from the school premises.
• The development is reported regularly to ensure first harvest after 45 days.

Vermiculture

Vermiculture is an environmentally recognized process that reduces landfills, water and saves

energy  while rebuilding and rehabilitating the natural life cycle of plants.

        The production team consist of students who monitor the entire process of vermiculture.

They shoulder the responsibility in rotation. The process followed by the team is as follows- 

PROCESS AND STEPS INVOLVED  IN VERMICULTURE

1.       A suitable location for the construction of the pit was selected. A bedding of size10* 15feet was prepared and divided into three compartments.

2.        Each compartment consisted of soil as the base, layers of dried leaves, and biodegradables.

3.       The pit was kept moist by regular watering and this was followed by adding worms for the successful harvest to be done after 45 days.

Research Report

·         OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The objective of the study is to explore the most profitable, environment friendly & sustainable business enterprise between Vermicomposting and Handicrafts for our school- St. Mary’s School, Dwarka.

·         Purpose of the study

The study aims to analyse best possible business for the school provided under low cost, less time consumption and environment friendliness between Vermicomposting and Handicrafts and to find out which business is the most viable option to run as a learning organisation. Also, this study entails a detailed analysis on what is the consumer demand, market potential, where such products will be sold and how these products will be manufactured & marketed by students themselves.

This business will be done in a manner giving the first hand experience and learning ethics to students.

·         RESEARCH METHODOLOGY:

Primary Data:

The domain of the study was by and large the markets of Delhi. The sample size chosen for consumer’s survey and the retailer’s survey  was 100 persons.

All the data was collected first hand by the students using questionnaires. Consumers of Vermi compost and Handicrafts were interviewed alongside the Nursery producers for Vermi compost and shop manufacturers for Handicrafts.

                          

                                                           Vermicompost vs Handicrafts

Secondary data:

For the secondary data, mainly website information was used. It had already gone through a statistical process and was thus reliable.

DATA  & COST ANALYSIS

All the data, collected was compiled and thoroughly analysed with calculations and statistical tools.

For Vermi compost and Handicrafts, different costs were involved i.e. manufacturing, distribution & marketing and these were calculated.

·         RESULTS (PRIMARY DATA)

VERMI COMPOST

 

HANDICRAFT

The respondents were asked whether they would like to buy vermi compost or handicrafts from us. It was found that out of 50 respondents, 34 agreed to buy vermicompost whereas out of 50 respondents, only 14 agreed to buy handicrafts. Thus, it can be concluded that demand for vermi compost is high as compared to demand for handicrafts.

COST ANALYSIS

HANDICRAFTS

Explicit cost

Particulars	Amount (Rs.)
Raw material (charts)	1500
Colours	1500
Brush	100
Decorative material	150
Frame	30000
Advertisement cost	100

Implicit cost

Particulars	Amount (Rs.)
Imputed rent	1500
Imputed labour cost	10000

Total Cost                                                                                                               33350

Revenue

Selling price per painting                                                                                            500

Number of units sold                                                                                                 100

Total Revenue                                                                                                        50,000

Profit                                                                                                                        16650

VERMICOMPOST

Explicit cost

Particulars	Amount (Rs.)
Setting up the vermicompost site   Labour charges for setting up the basic structure   Bricks   Manure	250 1000 300
Collecting and putting worms	500
Making carry bags with stamps   Needles   Thread   Printout of the stamps	8 10 50
Advertising cost   Photocopy of pamphlets made by students   Colours	70 30

Implicit cost

Particulars	Amount (Rs.)
Imputed rent	1000
Imputed labour cost	5000

Note: Implicit cost has not been added while calculating the total cost as land of the school is being used by students.

Total Cost                                                                                                                  2218                                                                                                   

Revenue

Selling price per packet (1 kg)                                                                                    40

Number of units sold                                                                                                  300

Total Revenue                                                                                                           12,000

Profit                                                                                                                          9782

Note: The establishment cost of vermicompost is small as compared to handicraft and demand for vermicompost is more at our locality. Vermicompost as a business enterprise will generate more profit in the long run. Also, it is environment friendly and organic.  Therefore, it is advisable to choose this business.

·         LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY:

·         Respondents may not have given their exact views or have hidden some information.

·         Casual attitude of some respondents led to some misleading information.

·         The effectiveness of suggested ways is long term and the results can be noticed only in the coming months.

·         FINDINGS:

After conducting primary research it was found that Vermi compost is used more frequently and in larger quantities than handicrafts.

Also, according to manufacturers, organic manure is produced & sold in larger quantities than Handicrafts. Customers prefer buying organic manure at a lower cost over handicrafts.

Cost & Margin analysis of Handicrafts and Vermi compost also gave out Vermi Compost as a more profitable option.

·         Recommendations:-

Vermi composting will be the most feasible & profitable option for our School to represent in this competition. Also it will give a wholesome experience of a business to students.

School Enterprise Challenge

The four acre environs of St. Mary’s School, Dwarka situated in the quiet sector 19 of the suburbs of the bustling capital, is an invigorating setup for the holistic learning process that the school stands for.

At St. Mary’s School, Dwarka, a number of activities and programmes are undertaken. Many of these have earned us laurels and accolades. Having been recently awarded the International School Award (2012-15) and having been made the YES Centre for IAYP is a clear indication to us that we are on the right path and that our pattern is appreciated at the state, national and now international level.

This world is fast changing and evolving. We too need to keep challenging ourselves to achieve higher goals. In collaboration with Teach A Man To Fish, we have taken up the School Enterprise Challenge which aims at developing in a student the know  how of conceptualizing, starting and running a small business. It brings to the forefront the various nuances of becoming an entrepreneur; its ethics and challenges.

The school has recently registered itself online for the said challenge, following which the concept of an enterprise was discussed with a select group of students.  The task at hand was to find a viable business proposition, the choices being vermicomposting and handicraft.

 To this end it was agreed to prepare a detailed questionnaire which is to be administered on shopkeepers, residents of an area, plant nurseries etc. The questionnaire revealed that the need of the hour was to give back, in whatever capacity, to the environment.