Assessment of the Farmers’ Perception on Vermicompost as Waste Management Practice and Economic Return in Some Areas of Bangladesh

Abstract

A study was conducted to determine the farmers’ perception on vermicompost as waste management practice and economic return at the Baliadangi and Sadar upazila of Thakurgaon district of Bangladesh. Utilizing the survey method and pretested interview schedule, data were collected by face-to-face interview from proportionate randomly selected 115 respondents. The findings of the study exhibited that on an average the respondents were 40 years of age with 4 members in their family and about 90% of them were educated either primary, secondary, or tertiary level. The respondents’ average family annual income was about 2870 USD and they earned an additional income of about 115 USD annually from vermicompost. Out of all the respondents 70% and 86% of them participated agricultural and vermicompost related training, respectively. Participation of different training programs helped the respondents to improve their knowledge on vermicomposting and vermiculture which was exhibited by their 88% moderate to better knowledge. Furthermore, 79% respondents exhibited moderately to highly favorable perception towards vermicompost as waste management practice and economic contribution. In addition, out of the selected attributes, five attributes, namely, respondents’ family size, family annual income, income from vermicompost, training received on vermicompost and knowledge of the respondents on vermicompost had significant contribution on the perception of vermicompost. As a whole, the findings of the study offer new empirical evidence on the farmers level perception to vermicompost as waste management practice which may be utilized by the policy makers to develop future policy to adopt and disseminate of the vermiculture technique to the general farmers of the country.