Agriculture and Agrifood Canada, three universities including Carleton University, the University of Alberta, Trent University and Nanogrande are part of a multidisciplinary research group for the joint development of a smart-release fertilizer. The research group wants to develop a technology capable of reducing the harmful effects of the lack of efficiency of nitrogen based fertilizers currently in use. Less than half of the nitrogen is actually arriving to plants, creating adverse effects such as the production of blue algae, death lakes and rivers, reducing biodiversity, increasing fertilizer consumption and the increase of production costs due to inefficient products. Nanogrande hopes to provide a real solution to the lack of effectiveness of existing fertilizers and reduce impact of humans on the environment.