The Environment and Sustainable Development in Rural and Urban Areas
Rural Areas - Part One

Excessive Nitrogen

Eating and excreting are how human beings live.In order for mankind to survive in perpetuity, food-supporting agriculture has to continue in cycles which last for hundreds or thousands of years. For that to occur, the environment and people's way of life there must also be sustainable. I wonder whether or not rural areas in Asia are complying with that condition. What measures should be undertaken to meet this condition? As a start, AAN's research team will conduct a study from the viewpoint of the elemental cycle of nitrogen.

Note: Role of nitrogen and its danger
Nitrogen, which is one of the three components of fertilizers together with phosphor and potassium, is indispensable to agriculture. It is also one of the elements which is a constituent of protein and it is contained in foods in large volumes. However, excessive nitrogen is a problem. Nitrogen can not be removed by either boiling or baking. If released into the air, it will cause acid rain while, if it percolates into the underground, it will change into nitric and nitrous acid, which will inevitably pollute underground water.

Japan　Massive inflow through food imports
Vietnam　Efficient diversified recycle farming
Holland　Limiting the number of pigs reared
Agriculture in the Edo Period　Perfect cycle achieved in a closed society