Agriculture and science have roots that grow deep in Saskatchewan. With over 40 per cent of Canada’s arable land, agriculture has traditionally been the economic mainstay in the province.
Merging these two essential areas of science and agriculture has created huge opportunities in Saskatchewan’s bioscience industry. Today, the bioscience cluster in Saskatchewan has grown to encompass two university campuses and two technology parks, as well as a number of provincially and nationally funded research institutions and technical training centres. These provide a stable base for high level research in the biosciences. The University of Saskatchewan (U of S) has been central to the creation of the bioscience cluster, building scientific capacity over the past century.
Saskatchewan researchers are applying biotechnology for the development of hardy crops, more nutritious food and better feeds, giving farmers more options. Some examples:
*Note: these numbers come from various commodity websites as of January 2017.
Agribusiness is important to the well-being of the province, and this is recognized both at the government level and by the general population, urban and rural. This sets the stage for support in the long-term and understanding of industry needs.