ORGANIC FARMING

Project Report submitted to the

MAHATMA GANDHI UNIVERSITY
in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the
MOOC ON ORGANIC FARMING

Submitted By

ATHUL CHANDRAN
Register No:
210021070460

Mentored by
Dr. Kuriakose V Kocheril

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
CATHOLICATE COLLEGE, PATHANAMTHITTA

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 DEPATMENT OF COMMERCE
CATHOLICATE COLLEGE, PATHANAMTHITTA

CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that the Project Report on ‘ORGANIC FARMING’ submitted to Mahatma
Gandhi University by Athul Chandran Reg. No. 210021070460 ,B.com Finance and Taxation
in partial fulfiment of the requirements for the MOOC on Organic Farming is carried out by his
under my guidance.

Dr. Kuriakose V Kocheril

Mentor
Dept of English
Catholicate College,
Pathanamthitta

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 DECLARATION
I hereby declare that the Project report on ‘ORGANIC FARMING’ submitted to the Mahatma
Gandhi University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the MOOC on Organic Farming
is done by me under the guidance of Dr. Kuriakose V Kocheril
, Assistant Professor, Department of Commerce, Catholicate College, Pathanamthitta.

Pathanamthitta
ATHUL CHANDRAN

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 1. INTRODUCTION 5-8
2. MATERIALS & METHODS 9-11
3. OBSERVATIONS & DATA COLLECTIONS 12
4. PHOTOS 13-14

5. COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS 15

6. CONCLUSION 16

7. ABSTRACT 17

S.NO. TITLES PAGE

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 CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
Composting
The composting process is a complex interaction between the
waste and the microorganisms within the waste. The
microorganisms that carry out this process fall into three groups:
Bacteria, Fungi, and Actinomycetes. Actinomycetes are a form of
fungi like bacteria that break down organic matter.

The methodology of composting can be categorized into three

major segments- anaerobic composting, aerobic composting, and
vermicomposting. In anaerobic composting, the organic matter is
decomposed in the absence of air. Organic matter may be
collected in pits and covered with a thick layer of soil and left
undisturbed six to eight months. The compost so formed may not
be completely converted and may include aggregated masses.

Berkley method uses a labour-intensive technique and has precise

requirements of the material to be composted. Easily
biodegradable materials, such as grass, vegetable matters, etc., are
mixed with animal matter in the ratio of 2:1. Compost is usually
ready in 15 days.

Vermicomposting involves use of earthworms as natural and

versatile bioreactors for the process of conversion. It is carried out
in specially designed pits where earthworm culture also needs to
be done. Vermicomposting is a precision-based option and
requires overseeing of work by an expert.

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Advantages of Composting

Compost provides many benefits as a soil amendment and a source of

organic matter by improving soil biological, chemical, and physical
characteristics:

• Can save money

Composting is a natural and organic process. It does not requires any
kind of chemicals, fertilizers or pesticides. This makes it a cost
efficient activity that can save you a lot of money.
• Good for the soil
It can be quite helpful for the overall health of the soil. Moreover,
composting can also improve
soil fertility and can offer protection from potential plant
diseases as well.

• Reduces garden pests

Getting rid pests in your garden can be quite frustrating. However,
proper composting can ensure minimum pests as the compost itself
contains various micro-nutrients that act as pesticides.

• Improves soil structure

Composting is known to add helpful microorganisms like bacteria
and fungi to the soil. These microorganisms speed up the
composting process, which in turn, can improve the structure of
the soil and is also one of the best way to maintain your garden.

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 • Good for the environment
Most of our home waste is sent to garbage landfills where they
rot and release methane and carbon dioxide into the air.
Composting organic wastes can help in reducing the overall
impact on the environment.

• Conserves water
One of the most important benefits of composting is that it
allows the soil to retain water. This provides a steady source of
moisture and nutrients to the plants in your garden and also
reduces the need for constant watering of plants.

Disadvantages of composting

Despite composting being one of the best methods of maintaining and

enhancing the fertility of your garden soil amongst other benefits of
the composting, it does have its own disadvantages too.
Some of the disadvantages of composting are following:

• It requires initial investment

Equipment such as composting bin and other equipment might
be required to begin the process. However, they may not be that
expensive and besides, you get to save some money that
otherwise, would have been spent on purchasing fertilizer.

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• Its efficiency depends on the amount of organic wastes
The efficiency of compost might be based on the quantity of
waste produced. Take for instance, only low levels of organic
food waste is produced, the effort associated with the
production of compost will not be in agreement with the
rewards that is it won’t worth the stress and all.

• Composting gives unpleasant smell

Various kind of smell are produced in composting process
depending on the kind of organic food waste. The smell can be
very uncomfortable and can reduce the overall quality of life of
person inhabiting such place where the compost is.

• Lots of work is involved

Composting requires lot of work such as moving the compost
around at least a few times a week so as to ensure proper air
circulation. Not only that, lots of certain physical work can add
up over time depending on the amount of compost.

• Lots of space is required

Composting is a process that requires enough space and so,
might not be suitable for everyone most especially those having
space constraints. To carry out composting process, it’s much
better if you live in your house with enough space in the
surrounding or perhaps, a large flat with balcony.

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 CHAPTER 2
MATERIALS AND METHOD

Location of college : Makkamkunnu, Mannaramala, Pathanamthitta

Location of student: Vazhamuttom, Pathanamthitta

Sources for composting

• Kitchen based wastes

• Bio bins

• Composting inoculums

Area of Composting: Back side of kitchen

Suitable Temperature for composting

The ideal temperature for the initial composting stage is 20-45 C, at

subsequent stages with the thermophile organisms taking over, a
temperature range of 50-70 C may be ideal.

Equipments used for composting

Trowel, Shovel, Bucket for Composting.

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Steps for composting

Pick a good compost bin

The first step to make compost is to choose where you will make
the compost. The process of compost in the bins very fast because
heat is conserved, which speeds up the composting process. The
size of the compost bin solely depends on the amount of compost
you want. If you want more compost to feed your garden plants,
then you need to pick a small compost bin.
Keep the compost bin in a good place

The surface where you will keep the compost bin needs to be
flat and free from any kind of natural disaster. The surface of
the place also needs to be well drained without complete.
Add green and brown organic materials
The compost needs to contain the correct proportion of nitrogen,
carbon, oxygen and water. in order to make compost contains both
nitrogen and carbon, you need to add brown and green organic
matters. The brown materials help absorb excess water and
prevent the compost from releasing out the unpleasant odors. On
the other hand, green materials add nitrogen, moisture, and also
help conserve heat.

Examples of brown organic materials are the bark of trees, dried

leaves, paper eggs, cartons, cardboard, shredded newsprint. And
examples of green materials include green leaves, fruit peels
eggshells, vegetables, and flowers.

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Alternate between layers

Compost need to alternate between layers of brown and green

materials. Start filling the compost bin with garden soil that is well
aerated. Then add green leaves and other green materials.
Continue alternating between green and brown matters in the
following format:

Green, brown, green, brown;

Wet the compost timely

When the compost looks too dry, that is an indication that the
brown matters overweight the green matters. In this case, there
is a need to gently moisten the compost with water or add
more fresh green materials. This also helps keep the compost
moisture intact.
Turn the compost timely

While adding and alternating between composting materials, make

sure that turning the compost at least once a week. This can help
maintain moisture and conserve heat. It also helps combine the
composting mixture evenly. As you add the composting materials,
you turn until the compost bin is filled up.

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 CHAPTER 3
OBSERVATION AND DATA
COLLECTION

For this project, kitchen waste took 35-40days to decompose.

Decomposition is a slowly happening process which takes places
with bacterial breakdown of waste.

• Timeline:-
The project was started at 3rd April , vegetable and fruit peels
wastes were added in every three days, it took almost two weeks
to fill the bucket.

Onion peels, egg shells, carrot peels, garlic peels are added in
compost in every three days. Water was added in twice a week to
maintain moisture in the bio bucket. Approximately 30g of kitchen
wastes were added in every day.

After 40 days, the compost was ready for use. The compost is in
dark brown color with dry and thick in texture.

Quantity of the compost

In a 5 liter bucket, approximately 3.5 kg compost were made in
above mentioned time period.

Quality of compost
The final product was tested to the base of garden plants, and
result were seen within a week as grown up.

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CHAPTER 4
PHOTOS

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 CHAPTER 5
COST BENEFITS

Most of the product used in the compost such as vegetable waste,

egg shell, etc, was from my house. I spent only a small amount of
money for buying cow dung for compost. It was around 50 rupees
for cow dung. As compare to chemical fertilizers organic compost is
cheaper and more effective.

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 CHAPTER 6
CONCLUSION

As in my view, composting will undoubtedly be an essential part of

producing a good potting media. The composting process will take
time to perfect for individual local conditions, materials,
manpower, etc. It is therefore best to start small and simple until
expertise has been gained.

Experience is the best teacher towards achieving a good organic

potting media. It requires use of good common sense, trial, error,
and patience. The goal of composting is to produce a consistent
product year after year.

Composting is a major type of recycling organic waste to produce

useful fertilizers. Composting produces humus as an end product
which is beneficial for plant growth and effective to minimize
organic waste at small or large scale.

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 CHAPTER 7
ABSTRACT
Organic farming offers an alternative to more widespread, high input
farming practices that use synthetic fertilizers, fungicides and
pesticides. The environmental impact of organic farming is low and can
be seen as way of cleaning up and improving degraded agricultural
land.

Per capita waste generation in India is estimated to be around 500

gram per day. A nuclear family of 4-5 members generates 2 to 2.5 kg of
wastes per household. Organic wastes generated at household levels
can be processed at the source Itself. Decentralized waste processing is
more practical and cost effective than a Centralized one. It is the
responsibility of each individual to process the waste generated by
him/her.

The present project is therefore aimed at training the Under Graduate

students of Mahatma Gandhi University to familiarize with the different
biotechnological means to process the household and kitchen wastes to
valuable manure at household level. As a part of the project, I made
organic manure compost using kitchen waste from my home. These
aren’t harmful to nature. It helps to maintain soil balance and make soil
Fertile.

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