Vermicomposting in Silver Oak Plantation Areas for Sustainable Waste Management and Enhanced Livelihood: A Case Study of Kolli Hills, Tamil Nadu, India

Silver Oak plantation on farmlands growing coffee and black pepper has gained importance in recent times in the areas surrounding the Kolli hills in the Namakkal district of Tamil Nadu, India. The Silver Oak trees shed significant quantities of dry leaves during the summer season which the local Malayali tribal community burns and/or leaves on ground. The current case study is based on an experiment of vermicomposting using local Silver Oak leaf litter, cow dung and earthworms. The results show that joint production of manure from agroforestry practices is an option in self-sufficiency for the rural communities and has the potential for a business model. Moreover, this ensures environmental sustainability by avoiding green-house gas emissions that are caused by the practice of burning leaves and/or leaving the mulch to rot. The present paper attempts to develop a sustainable model of vermicomposting in the Kolli hills region that can offer triple solutions encompassing organic manure production, environmental quality improvement and livelihood opportunity enhancement. Based on field surveys and physiochemical experiments in the Perungiraipatti village of the Kolli hills, the study presents a sustainable model of vermicomposting with specifications on nutritional quality, environmental sustainability and economic development.