Panaji: Sudhir Dhauskar, a Pernem farmer who has been running a vermicompost unit for nearly 14 years, earns around Rs 3.5 lakh annually by selling compost made from farm waste, supplementing his income from agriculture and dairy farming.He shared his experience at a Khet Bachao Abhiyan-cum-Field Day organised at Ibrampur by ICAR-Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), ICAR-Central Coastal Agricultural Research Institute (CCARI), Goa, in collaboration with the directorate of agriculture.Dhauskar practises integrated farming, combining crop cultivation, cattle rearing and vermicomposting. His unit was established with assistance from the agriculture department, and he sells the compost in neighbouring areas, said Rudresh Kambli, zonal agricultural officer (ZAO), Pernem.The programme focused on balanced fertiliser use, improving soil health and reducing dependence on chemical fertilisers. Kambli stressed the importance of soil-test-based fertiliser recommendations, warning that excessive and imbalanced application of chemical fertilisers could adversely affect soil fertility.“Prolonged dependence on chemical fertilisers has contributed to declining soil fertility, making a shift towards organic manure increasingly important. The Khet Bachao Abhiyan seeks to encourage farmers to return to sustainable practices by recycling farm waste into nutrient-rich compost,” he said.Sanjaykumar Udharwar, subject matter specialist (Animal Science) at ICAR-KVK North Goa, highlighted the benefits of recycling cattle dung, urine and other farm waste into manure. He encouraged farmers to adopt integrated crop-livestock systems for more efficient resource utilisation and improved livelihoods.Udharwar also explained ICAR-CCARI’s recommended nutri-hormonal therapy to manage repeat breeding in crossbred cows. The therapy has recorded conception rates of around 66% across several dairy farms in Ibrampur.During the programme, the agriculture department distributed hand-operated pump sprayers and vermicompost to farmers. A total of 40 farmers attended the event.
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