A plant nursery in Ajman is producing organic fertilizer by vermicomposting — a process that uses earthworms to convert waste into nutrient-rich manure, The National reported earlier this week. The nursery has been producing 150 to 200 tons of organic fertilizer per month for the past seven years.

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How it’s done: Sara Nursery — founded by retired government employee and self-taught farmer Humaid Al Zaabi — uses recycled organic waste including fruit and vegetable scraps, eggshells, and livestock manure to produce the fertilizer. Worms in soil covered with cardboard or egg cartons turn vegetable and fruit waste into organic fertilizer in a process called vermicomposting. Unprocessed soil and worms are returned to the beds to continue composting, boosting agricultural productivity and environmental conservation.

What are the benefits? Vermicompost is considered one of the best soil amendments in horticulture due to its rich nutrient content, which depends on the worms’ diet of nutritious materials like food waste and manure. Worm castings promote plant growth through readily available nutrients and beneficial fungi and bacteria from the worms' digestive process. The positive impact of worm castings on plants is well-recognized by farmers and soil blenders, even when worms are fed low-nutrient materials like paper fiber.

Building community ties: Al Zaabi sells 20 kg bags of fertilizer – originally priced at AED 20 — at a discounted rate of AED 5 during the summer to encourage home gardening. If every household grew and harvested 10 kg of fruits and vegetables each, it would encourage healthy eating and improve food security, he added.

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