Master’s student uses worms to transform food waste into healthier soil

A University of Hertfordshire master’s student is using scientific research and a passion for earthworms to turn food waste into nutrient-rich compost, with ambitions to help farms and communities manage organic waste more sustainably.

Didi Ademoroti, 27, from Welwyn Garden City, founded Terravore Recycle in 2024 after discovering vermicomposting – a process in which earthworms and microorganisms break down organic material to produce a nutrient-rich soil amendment.

What began as an experiment to improve her houseplants has developed into an environmental business working with growers to explore how food waste can be transformed into a valuable resource. Now, Didi is looking for land to expand her operations and develop more large-scale composting systems.

“I’ve always loved plants and have about 25 at home,” says Didi. “I came across vermicomposting on TikTok when I was looking for ways to improve their growth. I started recycling my household waste with worms, and the more I learned, the more fascinated I became by what they could do.

“I started thinking about how much food waste we produce and how we could use that material more productively. Instead of treating it simply as something to throw away, why not see it as a resource?”

Determined to understand the science behind vermicompost, Didi has enrolled on the University of Hertfordshire’s MSc Environmental Management programme.

Her dissertation, What application rate of vermicompost produces the best plant growth response? investigates how different proportions of vermicompost affect radishes and lettuce. The controlled experiment used 100 pots and five growing-medium treatments containing between zero and 80 per cent vermicompost.

The results so far are showing that the best application rate depends on the crop and the growth characteristic being measured. Radishes grown with 80 per cent vermicompost produce the highest average storage-root biomass, while lettuce shows particularly promising biomass responses at 40 per cent.

The findings underline the importance of testing how vermicompost performs rather than assuming that using more will always produce better results.

“One of the most interesting things about my MSc research is discovering that there isn’t necessarily a single application rate that works best for everything,” says Didi.

“If we’re going to encourage farmers and growers to use vermicompost, we need evidence about how it performs, how much to apply and where it can be most beneficial.”

Through Terravore Recycle, Didi is exploring ways for farms, market gardens and other organisations to process suitable organic waste closer to where it is generated.

Her approach includes repurposing containers for on-site worm farms and developing systems that could introduce organic matter and worm activity directly into growing environments.

Her business has worked with local growers including Wild Farm in Berkhamsted, Tewin Greens Market Garden and Soil Squad, exploring how vermicomposting can fit into existing growing operations. Didi is also investigating opportunities to develop further partnerships and expand the business’s processing capacity.

But there is one major obstacle: finding enough land to grow.

“I’m in talks with farms and other potential landowners because on the groundspace is one of the biggest things holding us back,” she says. “Once we have the right site, there is so much more we can do.”

Didi is keen to ensure that any expansion offers practical benefits to growers, helping them manage organic waste while producing a useful soil amendment.

“Farmers are already managing enormous pressures due to climate change; solutions must be practical and make economic sense. I’m interested in how we can create systems that work with farms rather than adding complexity.”

Didi’s business has already attracted recognition: Terravore Recycle was selected as a finalist in the Lord-Lieutenant’s Entrepreneurs Challenge at the Hertfordshire County Show earlier this year.

At the University, she is exploring with the Enterprise team and community how to develop and market her business, identify funding opportunities and build research partnerships. She says being able to combine her studies with running Terravore has helped her investigate the idea scientifically while developing its commercial potential.

“It's one thing to believe in an idea, but being able to investigate it scientifically and connect with people who can help you develop it makes a real difference,” she says.

Didi is also sharing her knowledge through workshops and demonstrations for children, students and community groups, showing people how to set up and maintain their own worm farms.

She recently led an interactive session at the University’s College Lane allotments, where staff and students are revitalising seven plots through Project Flourish. Participants learned about compostable materials, the balance between nitrogen-rich ‘greens’ and carbon-rich ‘browns’, and how to establish a worm farm for continued learning.

Dr Sue Davies from the University of Hertfordshire Business School, who leads Project Flourish, said: “Didi’s presentation was not only clever and practical; it was also fun and entertaining. This is the perfect time for us to concentrate on improving the soil health of the plots so that we can test the approach ready for the next growing season.”

The University of Hertfordshire's Deputy Vice-Chancellor and lead executive for its Research and Enterprise, Professor Tim Vorley OBE, added:

"We value the innovative ideas of our students and encourage their enterprise by providing support for them to start up and grow their own businesses. Projects such as Didi's show how research and entrepreneurship can go hand-in-hand to develop sustainable approaches for agriculture and the economy.

"Didi's clever idea shows that real-word solutions can literally begin with a handful of worms – and we will do what we can to support her to develop and grow it alongside her studies."

For Didi, the aim is to show that something often treated as rubbish can become a valuable resource for growing food and improving soil.

“I want people to see that even the smallest actions can make a difference. Something as simple as starting a worm farm can change how you think about food waste, soil and the natural processes happening around us.”

Find out more about Terravore Recycle and the University of Hertfordshire’s MSc Environmental Management.