1.2 Detalhes do contato das pessoas capacitadas e instituições envolvidas na avaliação e documentação da tecnologia

Nome do projeto que facilitou a documentação/avaliação da Tecnologia (se relevante)

Book project: where the land is greener - Case Studies and Analysis of Soil and Water Conservation Initiatives Worldwide (where the land is greener)

1.3 Condições em relação ao uso da informação documentada através de WOCAT

Quando os dados foram compilados (no campo)?

01/02/2004

O/a compilador/a e a(s) pessoa(s) capacitada(s) aceitam as condições relativas ao uso de dados documentados através da WOCAT:

Sim

1.4 Declaração de sustentabilidade da tecnologia descrita

A tecnologia descrita aqui é problemática em relação a degradação da terra de forma que não pode ser declarada uma tecnologia de gestão sustentável de terra?

Não

2.1 Descrição curta da tecnologia

Definição da tecnologia:

Continuous breeding of earthworms in boxes for production of high quality organic compost.

2.2 Descrição detalhada da tecnologia

Descrição:

Vermiculture is a simple and cheap way to produce a continuous supply of organic compost of high quality. Eisenia foetida, the Red Californian earthworm (also called ‘the red wiggler’) is ideal for vermiculture since it is adapted to a wide range of environmental conditions. Under culture, the worms are kept under shade, in long wooden boxes filled with earth, cattle manure and an absorbent material (eg straw). The box is covered by sheet metal (or wood, thick plastic sheeting, or banana leaves) to protect the worms against UV radiation and birds/chickens, and also to maintain a favourably humid microclimate. Fresh cattle manure is a perfect food for the worms, but rotten coffee pulp can also be fed. Chopped crop residues (eg cowpeas, leucaena leaves or other legumes) may be added.

The compost produced by the earthworms has a dark colour, no smell and a loose and spongy structure. It is a high value, high quality product which is very rich in nutrients, and in a form that makes them readily available to vegetation. The content of a full box can be harvested every 3-4 months, and is used for crops -mainly coffee and vegetables, but also maize and beans. It is very effective in increasing soil fertility and thus crop production. It also improves soil structure, infiltration and water storage capacity.

The compost can either be applied directly to coffee, mixing it with an equal amount of earth and applying 1 kg to each plant. Alternatively it can be sprayed: for preparation of liquid fertilizer 50 kg compost are mixed with 50 litres of water and left to soak for 5 days. The concentrated solution produced is mixed with water at a ratio of 1 to10 and applied to the crop using a knapsack sprayer. The earthworms reach their reproductive age after three months and live for many years. In perfect conditions an earthworm produces up to 1,500 offspring per year. Thanks to their rapid reproduction, new cultures can easily be established, or earthworm stocks can be sold according to the farmer’s needs. A certain amount
of earthworm compost is kept back and being used instead of fresh earth to reinitiate the whole process, or to start new cultures.

The area is characterised by humid climate, steep slopes and low soil fertility. Farmers are mainly smallholders with individual properties. Earthworm culture does not depend closely on the external environment, but it is essential to maintain favourable conditions inside the box - namely continuous feeding and wetting. That’s why it is usually recommended to keep cultures near the house and the home-garden. Ants, the main enemy of earthworms, can be controlled standing the boxes on poles in cans filled with water.

2.3 Fotos da tecnologia

2.5 País/região/locais onde a tecnologia foi aplicada e que estão cobertos nesta avaliação

2.7 Introdução da tecnologia

Especifique como a tecnologia foi introduzida:

• através de projetos/intervenções externas

3.1 Principal/principais finalidade(s) da tecnologia

• Preservar/melhorar a biodiversidade

3.2 Tipo(s) atualizado(s) de uso da terra onde a tecnologia foi aplicada

Comentários:

Major land use problems (compiler’s opinion):
- low crop yields due to soil fertility decline
- water and wind erosion
- small landholdings

3.3 Mais informações sobre o uso da terra

Abastecimento de água para a terra na qual a tecnologia é aplicada:

• Precipitação natural

Número de estações de cultivo por ano:

• 1

Especifique:

Longest growing period in days: 300, Longest growing period from month to month: May untill February

3.4 Grupo de GST ao qual pertence a tecnologia

• Gestão integrada de fertilidade do solo
• apicultura, aquacultura, avicultura, cunicultura, sericicultura, etc.

3.5 Difusão da tecnologia

Comentários:

Total area covered by the SLM Technology is 5 m2.

3.6 Medidas de GST contendo a tecnologia

Comentários:

Type of agronomic measures: manure / compost / residues

3.7 Principais tipos de degradação da terra abordados pela tecnologia

Comentários:

Main causes of degradation: soil management, deforestation / removal of natural vegetation (incl. forest fires), overgrazing (on a single cattle farm), poverty / wealth (lack of capital)
Secondary causes of degradation: over-exploitation of vegetation for domestic use, other natural causes (avalanches, volcanic eruptions, mud flows, highly susceptible natural resources, extreme topography, etc.) specify (impacts of hurricane Mitch), governance / institutional (lack of strenght of law and authorities), inter-generational subdivision of land

3.8 Redução, prevenção ou recuperação da degradação do solo

Especifique o objetivo da tecnologia em relação a degradação da terra:

• Reduzir a degradação do solo

4.1 Desenho técnico da tecnologia

4.2 Especificações técnicas/ explicações do desenho técnico

Detailed view of wooden box for compost production by earthworms. Cover (corrugated iron or alternative) is important to protect worms from light, from birds and other natural enemies, and to maintain moisture in the box.

Technical knowledge required for field staff / advisors: moderate
Technical knowledge required for land users: moderate

Main technical functions: increase of surface roughness, improvement of topsoil structure (compaction), increase in organic matter, increase in nutrient availability (supply, recycling,…)
Secondary technical functions: increase of infiltration

Manure / compost / residues
Material/ species: compost

4.5 Custos e entradas necessárias para a implantação

	Especifique a entrada	Unidade	Quantidade	Custos por unidade	Custos totais por entrada	% dos custos arcados pelos usuários da terra
Mão-de-obra	labour	ha	1,0	6,0	6,0	100,0
Material de construção	wood	ha	1,0	50,0	50,0	100,0
Material de construção	Sheet metal, plastic	ha	1,0	6,0	6,0	100,0
Outros	earthworms (kg)	ha	1,0	60,0	60,0
Custos totais para a implantação da tecnologia					122,0

Comentários:

Duration of establishment phase: 0.07 month(s)

4.6 Atividades recorrentes/manutenção

	Atividade	Tipo de medida	Periodicidade/frequência
1.	1. Feeding: add another layer of cattle manure(1 kg earthworms eat 1 kg manure per day).	Agronômico	no specific timing for maintenance / every 3–5 days
2.	2. Maintain humidity at 80%, water frequently in dry season, maintaintemperature between 15–30°C: do not exceed 42°C.	Agronômico	no specific timing for maintenance / frequently in dry season
3.	3.The worms migrate into the fresh manure. After 2–3 days take out thesieve and gather the ready, worm free compost.	Agronômico	no specific timing for maintenance / every 3–4 months
4.	4. Apply compost to the crops (1 kg/coffee plant, see description).	Agronômico	no specific timing for maintenance / every 3–4 months
5.	6. Possible improvement: add lime to raise pH to a optimum level of 7.0.	Agronômico	no specific timing for maintenance /

4.7 Custos e entradas necessárias pata a manutenção/atividades recorrentes (por ano)

	Especifique a entrada	Unidade	Quantidade	Custos por unidade	Custos totais por entrada	% dos custos arcados pelos usuários da terra
Mão-de-obra	labour	ha	1,0	60,0	60,0	100,0
Custos totais para a manutenção da tecnologia					60,0

Comentários:

Machinery/ tools: hammer, nails, buckets/wheelbarrow, shovel, possibly water hose, hammer, nails, buckets/wheelbarrow, shovel, possibly water hose

60% of the land users have their own cattle, others get manure free from their neighbours. The cattle manure has no commercial price in the region - there is no market for it. The inputs and costs are estimated for the production of approx. 4,000 kg of worm compost, which is enough for one hectare of coffee per year (note figures from India for vermiculture suggest higher input-output ratios: in other words less output for the same amount of input).

5.1 Clima

5.2 Topografia

5.3 Solos

5.6 Características dos usuários da terra que utilizam a tecnologia

Indique outras características relevantes dos usuários da terra:

Off-farm income specification: nearly all land users are fully occupied with agricultural activities, very few are involved in commerce or are employed

5.7 Média da área de terra própria ou arrendada por usuários da terra que utilizam a tecnologia

5.8 Propriedade de terra, direitos de uso da terra e de uso da água

Propriedade da terra:

• Indivíduo, não intitulado
• Indivíduo, intitulado

Direitos do uso da terra:

• Arrendado
• Indivíduo

6.1 Impactos no local mostrados pela tecnologia

Impactos socioeconômicos

Produção

Renda e custos

Impactos socioculturais

Impactos ecológicos

Solo

Biodiversidade: vegetação, animais

6.2 Impactos externos mostrados pela tecnologia

6.5 Adoção da tecnologia

Comentários:

88 land user families have adopted the Technology with external material support
6 land user families have adopted the Technology without any external material support
There is a little trend towards spontaneous adoption of the Technology. As ADDAC (the Association for Agricultural Community Development and Diversification) has a permanent and longterm presence in the approach area, most interested farmers are directly involved in the programme activities: this explains the fact that only 5% of the technology users (6 people) took up earthworm culture without incentives (see approach).

6.7 Pontos fortes/vantagens/oportunidades da tecnologia

Pontos fortes/vantagens/oportunidades na visão do usuário da terra
Additional economic income through commercialization of earthworm stocks
Health: clean products without chemical treatment.

Pontos fortes/vantagens/oportunidades na visão do/a compilador/a ou de outra pessoa capacitada
Continuous and increasing production of organic and very effective compost with high nutrient content (replacing chemical fertilizers)
Appropriate for different crops (though in different forms – direct application or spraying).
Simple and cheap technology; low labour input
Increased crop yields
Earthworm culture is becoming an integrated part of the production system, especially for land users who have cows.

6.8 Pontos fracos, desvantagens/riscos da tecnologia e formas de superá-los

Pontos fracos/vantagens/riscos na visão do/a compilador/a ou de outra pessoa capacitada	Como eles podem ser superados?
Requires permanent access to water	A close fitting and secure box cover, as well as placement of the box in the shade reduces loss of humidity. Roof-top rainwater collection helps to get over dry periods.
Requires continuous availability of manure to feed worms.	Improve the construction of the boxes (close holes and cover the box tightly).
Attracts natural enemies like ants, chickens, moles, flies; needs protection

7.1 Métodos/fontes de informação

7.2 Referências às publicações disponíveis

Título, autor, ano, ISBN:

PASOLAC. Guía Técnica de Conservación de Suelos y Agua.. 2000.

Disponível de onde? Custos?

PASOLAC, Managua

Título, autor, ano, ISBN:

Ferruzzi C. Manual de Lombricultura. Ediciones Mundi-Prensa. Madrid, Spain. 1986.

Título, autor, ano, ISBN:

Castillo H . La lombricultura. in Altertec. Alternativas de Mejoramiento de Suelos.Proceso de Capacitación para Profesionales. Modulo II. Altertec, Ciudad de Guatemala. 1994.