Vermicompost integration in smallholder farming

Evaluating household practices and stakeholder involvement in diverse agricultural contexts of Bangladesh

Datos Bibliográficos

ID6455326
AutoresLokman Hossain (0000-0001-6339-2767, autor de correspondencia), Khusnur Jahan Shapna (0000-0002-3975-0082), Jianfeng Li (0000-0001-5205-5167), Derrick Y F Lai (0000-0002-1225-9904), Saifullah Khandker, Mohammed Abdus Salam (0000-0002-0769-2180), Carl Beierkuhnlein (0000-0002-6456-4628)
Año2025
Volumen10
Páginas101281-101281
Fecha de publicación2025-09-12
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaSustainable Futures (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 2666-1888
EditorialElsevier BV (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1016/j.sftr.2025.101281
OpenAlexW7081906955
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas1
Referencias citadas66

The global agriculture sector faces numerous challenges, including environmental degradation from unsustainable practices and the impact of climate-induced shocks on food security. Using six years (2017–2022) of qualitative and quantitative observations from 8 villages in drought-prone and 4 villages in salinisation-affected regions of Bangladesh, this study evaluated (i) the production and utilization of vermicompost by smallholder farmers, and (ii) the challenges and opportunities for sustainable agriculture using vermicompost. Results show a significant increase in vermicompost production among households in the drought-prone region (p < 0.05) over 6 years. For example, household vermicompost production in Fulbari (East Lebutala) village in the drought-prone region increased from 1.43(1.26) ton/household in 2017 to 5.77(8.29) ton/household in 2022. While households in the salinisation-affected region showed no significant changes in production, with yields ranging from 1.03(1.15) ton/household in 2017 to 1.14(1.29) ton/household in 2022 in South Kamarkhola (Jaynagar) village. In both regions, households faced multiple challenges in vermicompost production and field application, including environmental factors (hot days), raw material unavailability, pest attacks, and declining soil fertility due to salinisation. Given the reported challenges, including the increasing intensity of droughts and the scarcity of raw materials, this study highlights the critical need to address environmental conditions and strengthen farmer support systems to enhance the effectiveness of vermicompost production, thereby contributing to agricultural sustainability and improved food security across different environmental settings. The study offers important insights for policymakers and implementing organizations for creating focused interventions that assist smallholder farmers in areas affected by salinisation and drought

Agricultural productivity · Agriculture · Food processing · Food security · Production (economics · Scarcity · Sustainability · Vermicompost · Geochemistry and Geologic Mapping · Geological Modeling and Analysis · Seismic Imaging and Inversion Techniques