Advancing Agricultural Sustainability through Community Initiatives: A Case Study of Panimiri Village under the NICRA Project in Dibrugarh District, Assam, India

Abstract

Panimiri village in Dibrugarh district, Assam, experiences recurrent flooding that affects agricultural activities and damages conventional vermicomposting units. This study documents a field-level intervention implemented under the Technology Demonstration Component of the National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture project between 2015 and 2021. Low-cost vermicomposting units were constructed from locally available bamboo and polythene and placed on raised beds to reduce flood exposure. The units used cow dung and partially decomposed biodegradable farm residues, with Eisenia foetida as the composting species. Capacity-building programmes, demonstrations, and technical support were provided by Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Dibrugarh. The reported annual production from one unit was approximately 30 quintals of vermicompost, 8 kg of earthworms, and 160 litres of vermiwash. Based on the manuscript’s cost estimates, the annual production cost was ₹17,975, the gross return was ₹66,600, and the net return was ₹48,625, with a benefit–cost ratio of 3.7. The raised-bed design reduced the exposure of vermibeds to seasonal flooding and supported continuity of compost production. The intervention was also reported to spread to approximately 20 additional units in neighbouring villages and some local schools. The findings indicate that low-cost raised-bed vermicomposting may provide a practical option for organic-residue recycling and supplementary income in flood-prone rural settings. However, the results represent a case-based demonstration and require validation through systematic production, adoption, soil-health, and crop-response data.