Firm uses earthworms to manage waste

By Antony Gitonga

Naivasha based Oserian Flower Farm has introduced a new technology that involves the use of worms in tackling solid waste. ?

The technology known as Vermiculture is expected to manage organic waste, and reduce the cost on chemicals resulting in low cost of production.?

According to the farm research and development manager Stephen Musyoka, this was an environment friendly way of managing waste products.?He noted that the new farming method would add nutrients to the soil and improve aeration to the soil medium.?

“Oserian in its quest to achieve maximum crop yields and practice sustainable farming has incorporated worm farming into its practices,” he said.?

Musyoka said for years, the Kenya flower industry had been accused of poor environmental standards.?He said to curb the disposal challenge, the farm had put in measures to ensure they practised sustainable farming.?

“The farmers have been accused of poor way of tackling its solid waste but in Oserian we have moved a step forward in addressing the problem,” he said.?

According to the research manager, the exercise involved the use of earthworms which are introduced on a bed of flower waste products.?He said the worms fed on the waste products and produced fine excrements that was mixed with water sprinkled on an inclined bed to form worm juice.?

“Currently Oserian collects 120 litres of worm juice daily and this translates to 3,600 litres per month and 43,200 litres per annum,” he said.?

Musyoka noted that large-scale vermicomposting was also practiced in Canada, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines and the United States. ?The researcher said studies had shown that home composting could divert an average of  317.5 kgs of material per household per year from the waste stream.??

He said since the project kicked off their harvest had increased and the crops were healthier since they are resistant to pests and diseases.