Meet the ‘Vermicompost King’ Mr. Malleshappa, a Successful Zero Budget Farmer

Mr. Malleshappa Gulappa Biserotti hails from Hiregunjal village, Kundgol taluk, in the Dharwad district of Karnataka, India. The Dharwad region is known as a transitional belt, and in recent years, the onset of monsoon rains has significantly reduced. As a result, farmers in the area face water scarcity and need to fetch drinking water from neighboring villages. Agricultural operations also suffer due to the lack of water. In the face of these challenging circumstances, Mr. Biserotti has embraced organic farming as an alternative method for crop production.

For the past ten years, he has consistently practiced organic farming. Initially, he started by using Farm Yard Manure (FYM), compost, and vermicompost. Over four years, he observed significant improvement in his crops, which sparked his interest in vermicompost development and its continuous application.

Mr. Biserotti began utilizing the liquid Jeevamrutha organic technique, which is a zero-investment method in crop production. However, this method required a substantial amount of water, which was a problem considering the water shortage situation. To overcome this challenge, he started experimenting with solid Jeevamrutha and achieved successful results in growing crops over the past six years.

The preparation of solid Jeevamrutha involves combining 10 kg of cow dung from a local cow or ox, 250 grams of any pulse flour, 250 grams of jaggery, 500 grams of soil, and 1.5 to 2.0 liters of cattle urine. These ingredients are mixed thoroughly and formed into a heap, which is then covered with a gunny bag and left in the shade for 24 hours. The following day, the bag is removed, and the mixture is dried in the shade for 25-30 days, resulting in a pebble-like solid Jeevamrutha. The pebbles are sifted to separate the finer and coarser particles. These particles are subsequently utilized alongside the seeds during sowing and as a top-dressing.

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Every day, he diligently prepares a minimum of 15 kilograms of solid Jeevamrutha for each tray, leading to an annual production of approximately 5,475 kilograms of solid Jeevamrutha. Additionally, he creates 200 kilograms of neem cake using seeds collected from 17 neem trees, and he utilizes neem leaves for vermicompost production. Mr. Biserotti has embraced sustainable agriculture by leveraging locally available natural resources such as compost, vermicompost, and local seeds.

By adopting this organic farming approach, he has achieved higher crop productivity per acre of land, even in regions with limited rainfall. Furthermore, the resulting produce possesses excellent culinary value, extended shelf life, and retains its original nutrient content during storage.

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Mr. Biserotti firmly believes that if fellow farmers embrace the organic farming techniques he has honed over the years, they too will reap significant benefits in sustaining agriculture and attaining profitable incomes, particularly in the face of uncertain and unpredictable rain-fed conditions.

He was honored with the Dhari Mitr Award 2021 at the Dada Saheb Phalke International Film Festival, where he received recognition from Bollywood actress Lara Dutta and Col. Tushar Joshi. As a result, he achieved the second prize worth INR 3 Lakhs.

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