Grainswest - Tech 2026

Tech 2026 grainswest.com 17 BY IAN DOIG • ILLUSTRATION BY EMILY CHU Researcher puts farmer input first Good listener B orn and raised in a small agrarian village in India’s Punjab region, that nation’s bread- basket, Balwinder Kumar has been immersed in agriculture since childhood. His family grew forages for their small cattle herd, and though his parents encouraged him to study medicine, he was intensely curious about farming processes and problem solv- ing. “Going into agricultural research was a natural progression,” he said. Since he earned his PhD from Punjab Agricultural University, his research has allowed him to act on his scientific curiosity while interacting with farmers. After earning an undergraduate degree in agronomy, he completed a doctorate in crop science while also studying crop physiology, crop production, genetics and soil science. He focused on how agronomics can improve farm efficiency and pro- ductivity while maintaining soil health. He drew upon this interconnected foundation as a full professor and associate director at his alma mater, where he led a team of 25 scientists and sup- port staff. His immersive experience continues to serve him as a research scientist at Lakeland College in Vermilion. GrainsWest: Why did you choose to work in Canada? Balwinder Kumar: Canada, especially the Prairie region, has a very strong and progressive agricultural system that has always attracted scientists from around the globe. What attracted me was the close connection between the researchers and produc- ers in Canada, and there is strong emphasis on applied research. Industry and research institutions—universities, colleges and producer organizations—collaborate to solve problems. In my early career as a university professor in India, I focused on publishing research papers. Then I moved 150 kilometres from the main campus and was totally immersed with the farm- ing community. Farmers would visit my research and extension institute and say, ‘This is the problem, do you have a solution?’ It was like applied research, and I framed my research experi- ments based on what producers needed. That was a golden period for me. Same here in Canada; to frame my projects, I go to the producer first. What is their real problem? GW: What was your first experience with Canadian agriculture? BK: I got permanent residency in 2023, then we landed in Toronto. My wife’s relatives advised I would find a job there. But agriculture is in my blood, and I love to do research and bring new technologies to farmers, like I have done back home. When a good solution makes a producer smile, I’ve done my job.