Strategy

The International Nitrogen Initiative is a global effort to optimize nitrogen’s beneficial role in sustainable food production and to minimize nitrogen’s negative effects on human health and the environment. From a series of regional centers in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and North America, the INI is pursuing a three-stage strategy; under each phase, a number of questions provide examples of the types of information that will be gathered:

• Phase I: Assess knowledge on N flows and problems:
  - What are the controls on N fluxes in the environment?
  - How have N fluxes changed due to human action?
  - What are the consequences?
  - What are the gaps in knowledge?
  - How do the answers to these questions vary by region?
• Phase II: Develop of region-specific solutions:
  - What research is needed to fill identified gaps?
  - Which solutions can be used to solve identified problems?
  - Which tools are required?
  - Which areas of expertise are required?
  - How do the answers to these questions vary by region?
• Phase III: Implement scientific, engineering and policy tools to solve problems:
  - Which solution is best for a specific problem?
  - What are the barriers to solution implementation?
  - Are there economic issues?
  - How long will the solutions be effective?
  - How do the answers to these questions vary by region?