Commercial hybrid canola variety. Developed 2008–2012 at DuPont Pioneer’s Saskatchewan station.
About NavGaea
25 Years of Breeding Rigour.
25 Years of Breeding Rigour.
One Accountable Principal.
NavGaea Consulting Inc. is led by Hari Nair Ph.D., PAg, a CSGA-Recognised Plant Breeder. Every client engagement is handled by Hari personally.
Principal
Harikumar (Hari) Nair,
Harikumar (Hari) Nair,
Ph.D., PAg
NavGaea Consulting Inc. was founded in 2017 by Hari Nair — a plant scientist, professional agrologist, and CSGA-Recognised Plant Breeder with over 25 years of R&D experience across public institutions, multinational seed companies, and international research programs.
Hari holds a Ph.D. in Plant Sciences from the University of Idaho and began his professional career as an NSERC Biotechnology Visiting Fellow at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, where he worked on risk assessment of GM canola under field conditions. Over the following two decades he led breeding programs in borage and canola at Bioriginal Food & Science Corp., contributed to DuPont Pioneer’s canola program in Saskatchewan, directed Eastern Canada Seeds R&D for Dow AgroSciences, and led a hybrid crop research program across India and Southeast Asia for Bioseed, a division of DCM Shriram Ltd.
He returned to Saskatchewan in 2017 and established NavGaea — built around one operating principle: every engagement is led by Hari personally. No junior consultants. No outsourced analysis. Science-grounded advice, anchored in experience.
PAg
Saskatchewan
Ph.D.
Plant Sciences
Univ. of Idaho
Univ. of Idaho
Health Canada
Industrial Hemp Licence to 2028
Industrial Hemp Licence to 2028
Reg. Seed Est.
#4604 CFIA
#4604 CFIA
Career
25 Years Across Four Countries
From public research to multinational breeding programs to independent consulting — each era added depth that now informs every NavGaea engagement.
1999–2002
Saskatoon, SK
Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada
NSERC Biotechnology Visiting Fellow — Post-Doctoral Research
Risk assessment of field release of GM canola varieties. NSERC Biotechnology Visiting Fellowship. Foundational work on gene flow, herbicide-resistant canola, and regulatory science that underpins NavGaea’s current regulatory practice.
2002–2008
Saskatoon, SK
Bioriginal Food & Science Corp.
Plant Breeder (2002–2007) · Manager, Global Crop Production & Innovation (2007–2008)
Specialty oilseed breeding in borage and related crops. Developed two commercial varieties — BioStar and BFS-Ananth — through full variety development and CSGA certification. CSGA-Recognised Plant Breeder designation granted July 31, 2003. Also served briefly as external consultant (Jan–Mar 2013) following Dow AgroSciences transition.
2008–2012
Saskatoon, SK
DuPont Pioneer
Research Scientist & Station Manager
Canola breeding and station management in Saskatchewan. Developed three commercial varieties — 45H74, 46H75, and VR9560CL — including two covered by US patents (US8895809B1 and US8895810B1). Patent rights held by DuPont Pioneer.
2013–2015
St. Marys, ON
Dow AgroSciences
Eastern Canada Seeds R&D Leader
Seeds R&D leadership across Eastern Canada, directing breeding and evaluation programs and building cross-functional research capacity within a major multinational organisation.
2015–2017
Hyderabad, India · SE Asia
Bioseed, Division of DCM Shriram Ltd.
Research Lead
Led hybrid crop R&D across India and Southeast Asia. Multi-country breeding program management, team leadership across cultures and geographies, and market-aligned research strategy for one of India’s major agri-input companies.
2017–present
Saskatchewan, Canada
NavGaea Consulting Inc.
Founder & President
Independent agri-consulting and registered seed establishment serving seed companies, plant breeders, and agricultural researchers. Guided 11 hemp varieties through Health Canada’s LOAC approval process. CFIA Registered Seed Establishment #4604. Health Canada Industrial Hemp Licence (to 2028). CHTA Director since 2023.
Research Legacy
Varieties Developed
Over 15 years of commercial breeding in canola and borage yielded six registered varieties, five of which remain commercially active. Each went through rigorous multi-season field evaluation and regulatory approval.
DuPont Pioneer — Canola (Brassica napus)
Commercial hybrid canola variety. US Patent US8895809B1 (Nov. 25, 2014). Patent rights held by DuPont Pioneer.
US Patent US8895809B1Commercial hybrid canola variety. US Patent US8895810B1 (Nov. 25, 2014). Patent rights held by DuPont Pioneer.
US Patent US8895810B1Bioriginal Food & Science Corp. — Borage (Borago officinalis)
Commercial borage variety developed for Canadian market (marketed as BFS Star in the UK). Developed 2002–2008 at Bioriginal.
Commercial borage variety developed for Canadian market (marketed as BFS Quilon in the UK). Developed 2002–2008 at Bioriginal.