Transforming agriculture with vermicompost: 7-year empirical evidence from drought-prone and salinization-affected regions of Bangladesh

Global agricultural production has been affected by the increased frequency of climate extremes (e.g., droughts) in dry regions and heightened soil and water salinity in coastal regions. Exploration of sustainable agricultural practices is central to addressing the impacts of climate-induced shocks, restore soil fertility, and ensure food security. While there is growing evidence of crop losses due to increased drought and soil salinity, empirical evidence on nature-based solutions for increasing crop production through soil fertility recovery remains limited and poorly understood. Investigating the soil nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) and salinity from the 37 field experiments (22 treatments and 15 control plots in 11 villages) over 2017–2023, this study examined the effects of vermicompost on soil nutrients and salinity (electrical conductivity…