Combined use of vermicompost and biochar to enhance soil health and crop yield in sustainable agriculture

Publication date: 21-08-2026
Extent: 24 pages

Contributions by: Parveen Fatemah Rupani, Cranfield University, UK; Inés María Alonso-Crespo, María Gómez-Brandón and Jorge Domínguez, University of Vigo, Spain; and Ruben Sakrabani, Cranfield University, UK

Chapter synopsis:

Soil degradation due to human-induced pressures and improper organic waste disposal threatens long-term food security. Maintaining nutrient-rich topsoil is essential to counteract challenges from population growth and increased food demand. Organic fertilisers with a balanced carbon-to-nitrogen ratio offer a solution by improving nutrient retention and soil health. Vermicomposting, an established waste management approach, produces biologically active vermicompost that enhances soil fertility and microbial diversity. Similarly, biochar, a carbon-rich material, improves soil organic carbon, fertiliser quality, and plant growth while mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. Recent studies highlight the synergistic potential of combining biochar and vermicompost to improve soil health, nutrient availability, and ecological balance. This chapter explores their combined effects in mitigating organic waste’s impact on soils, promoting soil restoration, and assessing how biochar influences earthworm activity. Understanding these interactions is crucial for developing sustainable soil management strategies within circular economy and net-zero waste frameworks.

DOI: 10.19103/AS.2025.0166.03