<imgsrc="https://static.igem.wiki/teams/5054/europe-global-fertilizer-and-manure-version-1-nitrogen-in-manure-production-6172666199.jpg"alt="Nitrogen manure production in kilograms/hectare in the Netherlands in 2010 [8]."width="500"height="600"/>
<figcaption>Figure 1: Nitrogen manure production in kilograms/hectare in the Netherlands in 2010 <ahref="#cite8">[8]</a>.</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>
The over-use of fertilizers have a detrimental effect on the environment through the deposition of excess nitrogen oxides and ammonia in the ground, excessively enriching the environment with nutrients promoting uncontrolled plant and algal growth, or eutrophication, a form of nutrient imbalance <ahref="#cite3">[3]</a> that negatively impacts the local biodiversity. This highlights the need of the hour, a solution for increasing global food supply while maintaining environmental standards.<br>
The Nitrogen Action Programme introduced by the Dutch government in 2015, aimed at reducing nitrogen deposition, was declared insufficient in 2019 by the council of state. This declaration restricted the building of new residential areas, further augmenting the ongoing housing crisis of the Netherlands <ahref="#cite1">[1]</a>.
</p>
</div>
<divclass="image-text-wrapper">
<figure>
<imgsrc="https://static.igem.wiki/teams/5054/farmer-protests-in-the-hague-the-netherlands.jpg"alt='Farmer protests in the Netherlands [9].'width="400"height = "300"/>
<figcaption>Figure 1: Nitrogen manure production in kilograms/hectare in the Netherlands in 2010 <ahref="#cite8">[8]</a>.</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>
On the other hand, to combat global hunger, an increase in global food production is of the essence. This is addressed through the increase in crop yield, which is possible due to the Haber-Bosch process of fertilizer production, where elemental nitrogen is converted into ammonia. Over-fertilization and its direct and indirect impact on the environment make agriculture the second leading contributor to short-term increases in global surface temperature <ahref="#cite4">[4]</a>. <br>
In 2022, Dutch agriculture lost 74% (312,000 tons) of the nitrogen it spread as manure and synthetic fertilizer to the air and soil. Synthetic fertilizer production alone is also the cause of nearly 2% of global CO<sub>2</sub> emissions <ahref="#cite5">[5]</a>. In addition to water pollution by leakage of nitrate, pollution in the air due to the conversion to N<sub>2</sub>O leads to a global greenhouse effect equivalent to 10% of that caused by the increase in atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub><ahref="#cite6">[6]</a>. For staple crops like cereals and maize, up to 40% of a farm’s operating cost is spent purchasing fertilizer <ahref="#cite4">[4]</a>. Rising prices for fertilizer have been one of the problems leading to farmers' protests in Europe, and efforts to reduce nitrogen emissions in the Netherlands have been met with its own wave of protests <ahref="#cite7">[7]</a>.
</p>
</div>
<pstyle="display:inline-block;">
<figure>
<imgsrc="https://static.igem.wiki/teams/5054/farmer-protests-in-the-hague-the-netherlands.jpg"alt='Farmer protests in the Netherlands [9].'width="400"height = "300"/>
<figcaption>Figure 2: Farmer protests in the Netherlands <ahref="#cite9">[9]</a>.</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>
Over-fertilization poses major ecological and health risks like harmful algal blooms and atmospheric pollution, but fertilizer multiplies crop yield which is essential for the rising global population and food demand. This emphasizes the need for an alternative environmental-friendly solution. This can not only make a huge impact on the Netherlands, but also globally, by enabling a sustainable and food secure future.
