International Journal of Agriculture Extension and Social Development

author(s)
NV Kavithaa and N Vimalrajkumar

abstract
Vermicomposting involves a basic biotechnological method of composting, employing specific earthworm species to facilitate waste conversion and yield a higher quality end product. A comprehensive cross-sectional study encompassed Coimbatore, Tirupur, Karur, and Erode districts of Tamil Nadu, involving a randomly selected sample of 240 Kangayam cattle farmers. Through collaboration with subject matter experts and drawing from previous studies, a list of 38 constraints across major domains viz., Technical, Economical, Institutional, Personal, and Social was compiled. Respondents were tasked with ranking these constraints based on perceived severity, utilizing the RBQ technique to identify the most critical constraint within each domain. A semi-structured interview schedule was developed to evaluate the challenges encountered by farmers, which underwent pretesting to ensure reliability and validity. Data collection relied on personal interviews and subsequent analysis was conducted using appropriate statistical methods. Among the five major constraint domains examined, Technical constraints emerged as the most significant (Mean RBQ value = 91.58) for Kangayam cattle farmers in adopting vermicomposting technology. Key challenges included the intricate nature of vermicompost technology requiring constant technical oversight, the financial burden associated with constructing vermicompost units and storage facilities, inadequate guidance/training on vermicomposting, the absence of a uniform and systematic training framework for vermicompost technology, and opposition from nearby farmers due to misconceptions about disease transmission and foul odors in vermicomposting sheds. Consequently, it is imperative to develop tailored extension programs to disseminate knowledge about vermicompost technology and enhance compost production in future farming conditions.