Empowering rural communities with vermicomposting: A sustainable approach to waste management and emission reduction in the Ban Koeng community, Maha Sarakham Province

The practice of transferring organic waste composting through the use of earthworms (vermicomposting) to the Ban Koeng community, Koeng Subdistrict, Mueang District, Maha Sarakham Province, addresses critical environmental concerns and promotes sustainable development. As organic waste accounts for a significant proportion of total waste, vermicomposting serves as an eco-friendly solution to transform waste into nutrient-rich organic fertilizer. This project aimed to 1) disseminate knowledge of vermicomposting techniques to the local community, and 2) enable participants to apply the acquired knowledge to manage household organic waste effectively. The project engaged 133 participants, surpassing the target, and involved various community members, including the vegetable growers along the Chi River, and faculty, students, and staff from Mahasarakham University. Survey results indicated high satisfaction rates, with average scores of 4.60 for training quality and 4.61 for speaker effectiveness on a scale of 5. Furthermore, participants' knowledge increased significantly, from a pre-training average of 2.21 to a post-training score of 4.57, reflecting the project's relevance to community needs. The knowledge transfer empowered participants to manage household organic waste, produce organic fertilizer, and apply it in agricultural practices, contributing to improved community well-being. The project successfully achieved its objectives by promoting sustainable waste management aligned with Mahasarakham University's mission of environmental sustainability and community engagement. Participants applied the techniques to manage organic waste, thus reducing their environmental footprint and improving agricultural productivity.