Red worm farming

Red worms are invaluable to organic farmers as they eat any organic waste from your farm including livestock manure and convert it to valuable organic compost called vermicompost and vermiliquid for organic farming.

The red worms are pure protein and are very good for feeding Kienyeji chicken and fish as a supplement to make them grow faster Come to Space Farming Technology for all your red worms requirement.

Red worms in a compost bed

The worms are packed in 5 Kgs Starter Kit selling at Ksh 5,000. The commercial 15 kg kit is selling at Ksh 15,000. We sell vermiliquid at Ksh 500 for a 5 litre gallon. This is recommended for all your organic farming including being used as a hydroponic foliar solution for hydroponic fodder and hydroponic vegetables.

Vermicomposting is the process of using worms and micro-organisms to turn kitchen and farm waste into a black, earthy-smelling, nutrient-rich humus.

To start with, one needs 5 Basic Ingredients to Start Vermicomposting - a container, bedding, water, worms and kitchen or farm wastes such as grass or weed.

This waste is cut into small pieces and fed to the worms. The worms are bought from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) in containers of 5, 10 or 15kgs at Kshs 2,500 per kilo.

Peter Kanyagia is an organic farmer and uses the hybrid redworms to make compost manure that he uses in his farm in Kiambaa constituency in Kiambu County. From the worms, Kanyagia harvests compost manure and the liquid manure which he uses as foliar fertilizer and also packages it for sale to other organic farmers.

According to Peter Kanyagia, a management consultant and an organic farmer and a management consultant, the worms feed on all wastes, highly reproductive and their feacal material is nutrient rich organic manure. “15 kgs of red worms can multiply by 100 percent in two months,” Kanyagia says. After buying the red worms, a farmer should breed them so as to increase their quantity for maximum returns.

Red worms are bred in cheap and locally constructed beds which should be raised. “A standard bed measures 3x10 feet and should be roofed to prevent it from the rains.The sides of the structure should be made with a net or tiny wire mesh to keep the worms safe from birds and other predators,” says Kanyagia.

The bed should be raised on the sides to a height of 6 inches and underneath, there should be a plastic sheet to facilitate collection of the worm’s liquid waste (Vermiliquid) which is used as foliar feed in organic farming.

After constructing the beds, it is recommended to pour cow, poultry or goat manure to a height of 4 inches. Small pieces of rotting banana tree mixed with manure or soil can also be used to facilitate bonding. Since red worms thrive in a moist and dark environment, clean water should be poured on the bed once or twice in a week and the beds should be covered from light.

After introducing the worms to a bed, green material from the farm cut into small pieces is used to feed them since decomposes at a faster rate. “Rearing worms is economical since they feed on green organic matter and one doesn’t need any commercial feeds,” Says Kanyagia.

Dry matter is not recommended because it takes long to decompose. According to Kanyagia, worms must multiply first for a farmer to benefit, a process called vermin-culture.

Vermi-culture is the system of rearing red worms with a goal to continually increase their number in order to obtain a sustainable harvest to start vermicomposting.

The worms should be fed once in a week and take 3-4 months to multiply and make enough compost. However, in the second month, they start producing liquid organic fertilizer called vermiliquid which can be used as foliar feed.

“A liter of vermiliquid should be mixed with 10 liters of clean water and sprayed directly to the crop under organic farming and can also be used in hydroponic fodder production (Hydroponics is the science of growing crops without using soil).

The manure harvested from the worms (Vermicompost) can be used alone without inclusion of fertilizer to grow crops. “It can also be dried and sold in powder form and a kilo goes for Kshs 50 to organic farmers for nursery preparation,” says Kanyagia.

According to Kanyagia, red worms are ready for harvesting in 3-4 months and the process should take place in the morning when light is minimal. “After harvesting, they are packaged in well aerated containers of 5, 10 or 15 Kgs ready for market.

Once a farmer purchases the worms, they can be stored for even a week as the farmers prepares the beds. This is because they are packed with enough food,” Kanyagia says. Red worm are rich in proteins and can be used to feed to fish or chicken.

The challenges that come along with this enterprise in lack of capital, predators like chicken, birds and black ants which pose a great threat to red worms especially during rainy seasons. Black ants can be prevented using pesticides.

Red worm - The red worm or Eisenia fetida known under various common names such as red worm, red wriggler worms etc. is a species of earthworm adapted to eating decaying organic material and turn the waste into highly valuable organic fertilizer known as vermicompost.

The red worm can eat its weight daily and multiply quickly and can turn your heap of waste organic materials into valuable fertilizer within 4 months.

Vermi-culture is the system of rearing red worms. The goal is to continually increase the number of worms in order to obtain a sustainable harvest to start vermicomposting.

Vermi-composting is the process by which red worms are used to convert waste organic material like coffee pulp into valuable organic fertilizer call vermicompost.

The goal of this process is to process the waste material quickly and efficiently as possible Use of red worms. The worms can be used to;

i)To make organic compost.
ii)To make organic foliar
iii)For sale to other farmers.
iv)To feed Kienyeji chicken.
v)To feed Tilapia and catfish.
vi)As a hobby.
vii)To train children the benefits organic farming.

Red worms kits sell as follows
i)1- 5 Kgs kit Ksh 5,000 suitable for a small urban house kitchen garden.
ii)2- 10 kgs kit for Ksh 10,000 suitable for a medium kitchen garden.
iii)3- 15 Kgs for Ksh 15,000 suitable for a small vegetable farm.
iv)4- 45 Kgs kit for Ksh 45,000 suitable for medium farm farm.
v)5- 100 Kgs for Ksh 100,000 suitable for a large farm.

You can make a lot of profits through worm composting. If other people were able to create useful and quality fertilizers, then you can also do it. You are not only helping save the world by recycling organic waste but you are also giving yourself a chance to make money.

This is a great way to receive extra income aside from your regular job. What are you waiting for? Buy the composting equipment today and read the manual. Once you know the procedure on how to carry out worm farming, you can start this great opportunity.

With the extreme competition among business, you have to stand out and offer something new. Worm farming is unusual but this is a great source of income.

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