Efficient Management of Rice Straw Using Vermicomposting Technology: A Synergetic Approach of Agricultural Waste Management

Abstract

India is a developing country and most of the population live in the rural area. In India, most of the population depends on agriculture practices for their survival. About 43.86 million hectares of land is used for paddy cultivation and it produces 104.80 metric tons of rice. By the excessive use of agriculture, huge organic waste (rice straw) is generated. Most of this organic waste is used as cattle feed but the remaining waste is burnt by local farmers. This harmed the environment by releasing various toxic elements into the atmosphere. Due to the burning of rice straw numerous primary and secondary air pollutants such as CO, CO2, NOX, SOX, and NH3 etc. release in the environment. The burning of rice straw in the open field also decreases soil fertility by killing microorganisms present in the soil. To overcome this burning problem of the rice straw farmer need new techniques to compost rice straw waste. For the degradation of the organic waste vermicomposting is an ecofriendly technique. The purpose of this chapter is to focus on the vermi-technology to decompose rice straw. Just because of vermicomposting technology is an easier, cheaper (cost-effective), ecofriendly approach. The future of vermi-technology is bright cause nowadays people move towards organic farming and avoid the chemicals used in agriculture for high yield. Vermicomposting decomposes the rice waste as well as provide a job for rural area and the urban area also.