Việt Nam’s inventor of famous rice varieties Võ Tòng Xuân passes away

Professor Võ Tòng Xuân. Photo courtesy of Nam Cần Thơ University

HÀ NỘI — Professor Võ Tòng Xuân, a leading agricultural expert in Việt Nam, passed away on Monday morning in HCM City. He was 84.

Xuân, a People’s Educator and Honourary Chancellor of the Nam Cần Thơ University, died of serious illnesses at 7am on Monday, said Trần Hữu Xinh, the university’s vice chancellor, said. As a leading expert in agricultural science, he made contributions to international research.

He was the inventor of many Vietnamese rice varieties in the Mekong Delta region.

Xuân played a key role in popularising IR36 rice variety in areas frequently attacked by pests in the Mekong Delta region and collaborating with farmers in applying advanced grafting techniques.

The professor was born in 1940 in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang.

In 1961, he received a scholarship to study abroad at the Philippine Agricultural University in Los Banos and was an excellent international student in his studies.

In 1966, he graduated from the university with a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Chemistry and was accepted as a PhD student at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).

In 1971, he returned to Việt Nam with the desire to train a team of agricultural engineers for his homeland at the invitation of the director of Cần Thơ University with the message “the country really needs people like you”.

At the end of 1974, he went to Japan and defended his doctoral thesis one year later.

He compiled many valuable textbooks, books and reference materials serving agricultural production not only domestically but also internationally.

He was awarded an honourary title of professor of agronomy in 1980 and the Labour Hero award in 1985.

He was also elected a National Assembly delegate for three tenures.

His last public appearance was his attendance at the workshop for water security in Mekong Delta held on June 29, 2024.

His funeral is expected to be held at Cần Thơ Funeral Hall in Cần Thơ City, per the family’s request. 

The leadership of Cần Thơ City Party Committee, People’s Committee, People’s Council has proposed to preside over the funeral as Xuân was the National Assembly delegate for the city for three consecutive tenures. — VNS