Labour Hero, People's Teacher, Professor and Doctor Vo Tong Xuan - Honorary Rector of Nam Can Tho University was bestowed “the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon” by the Japanese government for his contributions to promoting agricultural cooperation between Viet Nam and Japan, at a ceremony in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho on April 13. (Photo: Thanh Liem)

Addressing the event, Japanese Consul General to Ho Chi Minh City Watanabe Nobuhiro said since 1875, the order has been awarded to foreigners who make outstanding achievements in international relations; Japanese cultural development; and advancements in recipients’ profession; social welfare and environmental protection.

According to the consul general, Prof. Xuan, who is known as “Dr. Rice”, has contributed to turning Viet Nam into a world famous rice exporter from a rice importing country.

Xuan's achievements in rice research are known not only in Vietnam but also in Japan and many countries in the region, Nobuhiro said, adding that many researchers in Japan also received the guidance of Prof. Xuan.

For his part, Prof. Xuan told with the pride that this recognition is the motivation for himself to make more efforts to continue study, research and dedication to Vietnam’s socio-economic development, especially to the agricultural sector; and contribute to strengthening the solidarity and friendship between Vietnam and Japan.

Xuan is an agricultural scientist with many of his research works conducted in the Mekong Delta – Vietnam’s rice granary. He conducted a study focusing in rice cultivation techniques in the tropics in 1974 while he was studying at Kyushu University in Japan. After completing his doctoral degree in agronomy, he returned home and worked at Can Tho University. In collaboration with Japanese researchers, Xuan continued to carry out studies on rice cultivation techniques.

In 1997, as a research fellow and visiting lecturer at Kyoto University’s Centre for Southeast Asian Studies, he came to Japan for a year, during which he studied the host nation’s agricultural cooperative models and helped arranging learning tours in Japan for Vietnamese farmers and policymakers.

After returning to Viet Nam, based on his studies at Kyoto University, Xuan introduced agricultural policy, particularly Japanese agricultural cooperatives and techniques, at many workshops. In addition, as an agronomist, he has made great contributions to strengthening cooperation in the agricultural sector between Japan and Viet Nam via Japan's ODA cooperation programmes.