Fertilizer management and nitrogen emissions are now central to Europe’s environmental policy.
Although agriculture accounts for only about 10% of total EU greenhouse gas emissions, it is the main source of nitrous oxide (N₂O) — a gas nearly 300 times more potent than CO₂.
Cereal crops, including wheat, rely heavily on nitrogen inputs, but how this nutrient is used determines whether farming is sustainable or polluting.
The Regulatory Framework: Nitrates Directive and the Green Deal
The Nitrates Directive (91/676/EEC) has limited nitrogen use in vulnerable zones since 1991.
Under the European Green Deal and Farm to Fork Strategy, this focus has broadened: by 2030, the EU aims to cut overall fertilizer use by 20% and nutrient losses by 50%.
This does not mean producing less, but using nitrogen more efficiently, through precision application, better uptake, and circular nutrient management.
Nitrate Vulnerable Zones in Italy
About 37% of Italy’s farmland is classified as Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ).
The most affected regions are the Po Valley, Veneto, Emilia-Romagna, Lombardy, and large parts of Puglia, Campania, and Lazio.
In these areas, the nitrogen limit from livestock effluents is 170 kg N/ha/year, and fertilization plans are mandatory to track every nitrogen input.
For cereal growers, this means tighter planning based on soil data, weather, and crop demand.
Emissions and the Fit for 55 Package
The Fit for 55 package (2021) seeks to cut net emissions by 55% by 2030.
For agriculture, this involves:
- Reducing N₂O emissions from synthetic fertilizers;
- Enhancing soil carbon sequestration through conservation farming;
- Improving manure management to limit ammonia losses.
Regulation EU 2024/795 introduces farm-level nitrogen balance models to quantify inputs, outputs, and potential losses.
Technological and Agronomic Solutions
Cereal farms are adopting strategies to balance yield and compliance:
- Slow-release or nitrification-inhibiting fertilizers (NBPT, DCD) reduce nitrogen losses by up to 40%;
- Field sensors and satellite imagery (NDVI) guide variable-rate fertilization;
- Legume rotations naturally fix atmospheric nitrogen;
- Conservation tillage boosts soil organic matter and nutrient retention.
According to CREA (2024), these combined measures can cut nitrogen losses by 30–35 kg N/ha/year in durum wheat systems without yield decline.
Economics and Incentives
The CAP rewards nitrogen efficiency through:
- Eco-scheme 4: conservation practices (€40–70/ha);
- Eco-scheme 3: integrated or organic fertilization;
- Rural Development Programmes (PSR): support for replacing synthetic fertilizers with organic amendments.
The EU Fertilizers Regulation (2019/1009) also enforces safety and traceability standards, promoting nutrient recycling from agricultural by-products.
Toward a Circular Nitrogen Cycle
The future lies in a “nitrogen-smart” agriculture, where every kilogram of nitrogen applied is matched by plant uptake.
With digital tools and predictive climate models, regulation becomes opportunity: fewer losses, higher efficiency, and lower costs.
By 2030, the farms that adapt early will not just comply — they will lead the shift toward a circular, climate-efficient agricultural model.
Sources:
- European Commission (2024). Nitrates Directive Revision and Fit for 55 Guidelines.
- CREA (2024). Nitrogen Balances and Emission Reduction in Italian Cereal Systems.
- ISPRA (2025). Water and Nitrate Pollution Report for Italy.
- FAO (2024). Nutrient Management and Nitrogen Circularity in Crop Systems.
- JRC (2024). Nitrogen Use Efficiency and Emission Models in European Agriculture.