Earthworms may help the preserve the land in Bali

Over the last 35 years years Balinese farmers have been using pesticides and fertilizers to maximize their crop yield. It worked for a while, but you can only whip the horse so far. Agricultural experts and my friend from the Eco Lodge in Batukaru are saying that the soil is now depleted, it tired and the watercourses are getting polluted. Balinese used to pride themselves on working with nature, the whole subak system is of co operation is controlling the watercourses, actually with religious respect. Same for the land, you’ll see shrines to the Goddess of Rice, Dewi Sri at the side of sawah (rice fields).

The Jakarta Post tells about a local Balinese scientist working to reverse that trend by cultivating earthworms. These worms, as well as other insects, help nourish the soil and re introducing them can help bring back some of Bali’s rice fields. My friend at the Eco Lodge told me ‘The Balinese are lazy farmers, they didn’t use to be.’

JED is also associated with environmental research in Kerobokan.