SASKATCHEWAN POLYTECHNIC
Sask Polytech research chair working to advance sustainable solutions for Saskatchewan agriculture industry

One of the strengths of applied research at Saskatchewan Polytechnic is bringing community together, solving real problems and providing learning and training opportunities that have environmental, economic, financial and social benefits.

Dr. Rajeev Dhakal is doing just that in his role of sustainable agriculture research chair in Sask Polytech's Sustainability-Led Integrated Centres of Excellence (SLICE).

Dhakal brings extensive expertise in agriculture research at a national and international level and is focused on sustainable agriculture production, developing practical and applied solutions to agricultural production challenges and specialty field crop production.

The seed to a career in agricultural research was planted early while Dhakal grew up in Nepal.

"Even before going to agricultural school, I used to notice when the rice nursery was seeded, seedlings were planted and crop was harvested because I saw the rice fields in my backyard, in the farms I saw when travelling, walking and hiking. It was passive learning by seeing and listening," he says.

After completing his Master of Science in India, Dhakal returned to Nepal and worked for the non-profit organization Local Initiative for Biodiversity Research and Development as a senior program officer specializing in participatory crop improvement on local crops and local seed systems. During a five-year period, he collaborated with national and international research institutions including Canadian post-secondary institutions.

He moved to Saskatchewan for his PhD in January 2020. His thesis focused on nitrogen use efficiency in spring canola. As he completed his studies, he moved to northern Alberta to work with SARDA Ag Research where he gained insight on western Canadian agriculture.

"Farming systems are different from one part of the world to another, different crops, different operations, different weather and different growing conditions, but the underlying science is the same," he says. "Seeing how crops are grown in different parts of the world widens your understanding and makes you look at agriculture from a different perspective."

In his new role as a research chair for Sustainable Agriculture Solutions, he is building an applied research program focused on sustainable agricultural production. Work has begun on establishing collaboration with producers, communities, researchers and industry partners to identify agricultural challenges and develop practical research opportunities.  

"Applied research is focused on what industry needs. Through SLICE, partners get the opportunity to take advantage of the expertise and equipment in the research center," he says.

SLICE director Dr. Robin Smith adds, "Our approach in SLICE is highly collaborative. We look to bring together expertise from different areas to help solve problems rather than working in silos. Rajeev works closely with colleagues in our Bioscience Applied Research Centre, our Biomaterials Testing and Prototyping facility and our geospatial research team to gather the talent and technology needed for a given project."

Dhakal is also eager to share his knowledge by offering practical hands-on learning opportunities for students in the Agriculture and Food Production program in Moose Jaw.

"Throughout my career I've worked with various crops such as rice, millets, amaranth, hemp, lupins, beans, wheat, canola, lentils, barley and buckwheat. Each crop has a different story to tell through its adaptation and human use," he says. "I'm looking forward to engaging students in applied research. My door is always open to support them and answer questions."

Smith says, "We deliberately chose to base the research chair position at our Moose Jaw campus to bring opportunities for students to participate in applied research projects and allow Rajeev to benefit from the lab facilities and the farm teaching site managed by the Agriculture and Food Production diploma program."

Dhakal's research interests include sustainable and resilient crop production, biotic and abiotic stress in crops, crop health, soil health and nutrient use efficiency. He is also interested in applying remote sensing and digital technologies to support crop monitoring and decision making. He is currently working with Canadian enterprises to generate independent research data for agricultural innovations, exploring AI-based approaches for plant health diagnostics, and investigating approaches for soil health improvement and enhanced nutrient use efficiency.

By partnering with SLICE, industry can undertake agricultural-focused applied research projects with sustainability at their core. Projects can be submitted to the research team through the Applied Research & Innovation form. Learn more about agriculture and bioscience research at SLICE.