Following the reunification of the country, stemming from the initiative of Dr. Luong Dinh Cua, the Mekong Delta needed a rice research institute of comparable stature. On January 31, 1977, the Mekong Delta Rice Institute was established, initially named the Mekong Delta Agricultural Technical Center. In 1985, the Center officially changed its name to the Mekong Delta Rice Institute.
The Institute was assigned a 360-hectare field that had been abandoned for many years, still containing many bomb craters and ponds. To reach the Institute, one had to cross a canal by boat from National Highway 91 and then walk 1.2 km along a muddy path. Those who "pioneered" this phase included experts such as Mr. Tran Nhu Nguyen, Professor Nguyen Tho, and Professor Nguyen Van Luat…
Professor Luat's philosophy was that research shouldn't wait for a specific time. That spirit laid the foundation for the development of the Mekong Delta Rice Research Institute in its later stages.
Pioneering research into ultra-early rice varieties.
Associate Professor Bui Ba Bong, former Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, who was closely associated with the Mekong Delta Rice Research Institute, and Professor Nguyen Van Luat recounted: Professor Nguyen Van Luat took on the role of Director of the Mekong Delta Agricultural Technical Center in 1982, succeeding the first Director, Engineer Tran Nhu Nguyen. He temporarily lived in a thatched house, which served as his living and working space, as well as a place to receive domestic and international guests.
Professor Nguyen Van Luat was a pioneer in proposing the idea of an extremely early-ripening rice variety for the Mekong Delta. Photo: Le Hoang Vu.
Professor Luat retired at the end of 2000. Thus, the Professor had served as Director of the Mekong Delta Rice Research Institute continuously for 18 years. The Professor was awarded the title of Hero of Labor by the State.
According to Associate Professor Bui Ba Bong, during his 18 years as Director of the Mekong Delta Rice Research Institute, Professor Nguyen Van Luat laid a solid foundation for the Institute's development, making it a leading rice research institute in the country and on par with the region. The Institute has made a worthy contribution to rice production in the Mekong Delta – a region accounting for 50% of the country's rice production and 90% of its rice exports. Currently, rice varieties developed by the Institute are grown on over 50% of the Mekong Delta's rice-growing area annually and are among the key rice varieties serving rice exports.
Professor Nguyen Van Luat's legacy is evident in his efforts to maintain the Institute's development plan, transforming it from a barren wasteland into a prestigious research institute. The early period was extremely challenging, involving both infrastructure construction and scientific research. Professor Luat laid the foundation for the Institute's infrastructure development, and to this day, the overall plan remains intact, including the preservation and utilization of the land area.
According to Dr. Bui Ba Bong, Professor Luat was a pioneer in proposing the idea of ultra-early rice varieties for the Mekong Delta. From the moment he joined the Institute, he showed a keen sense for developing new rice varieties, especially setting the goal of selecting and creating ultra-early rice varieties, which he named OMCS (OM stands for O Mon - the place where the Institute was built).
The ultra-early rice varieties have a growth period of approximately 95-105 days. At the time, this idea was very far-sighted because, to date, most of the rice varieties developed at the Mekong Delta Rice Research Institute are ultra-early varieties. Through the research process of the Institute's scientists, other superior characteristics such as high yield and good quality have been added to these ultra-early varieties. The current superiority in rice production in the Mekong Delta is largely due to the rice varieties, in which the Mekong Delta Rice Research Institute has made a significant contribution, stemming from the vision of its leader 40 years ago.
Besides rice varieties, Professor Luat was very interested in the ecology of rice-growing regions, focusing on diversifying the production structure on rice land. He directed early research on a two-crop rice rotation system with one cash crop in the Mekong Delta; and directed research on reducing production costs, including the idea of reducing sowing density. Professor Luat was the first to apply row sowing tools more than 30 years ago in the Mekong Delta. And to this day, reducing sowing density remains a goal in the technical process of the 1 million hectare rice project.
Particular attention is paid to training.
"Professor Nguyen Van Luat paid special attention to training. He always encouraged and created all conditions for staff and workers to pursue further education. Many workers and laborers with intermediate-level qualifications, upon joining the Institute, became engineers, masters, and in some cases, doctors. From a point where the Institute had no staff with master's degrees, during the time Professor Luat led it, the Institute had over 20 doctors, most of whom were trained abroad. The human resources that Professor Luat trained are the leading factor leading to the achievements of the Mekong Delta Rice Research Institute," said Associate Professor Bui Ba Bong.
Mr. Pham Van Ro transferred to work at the Mekong Delta Rice Research Institute in 1986, specializing in rice genetics and breeding. At that time, many traditional rice varieties in the Mekong Delta took 4 months, even 7 months, to harvest. Shortening the growing season to about 100 days while simultaneously increasing yields was truly a revolution.
International delegation visits the Mekong Delta Rice Research Institute. Photo: Mekong Delta Rice Research Institute.
Professor Nguyen Van Luat established a structured system for the staff, ensuring the smooth operation of the system. Having worked with Professor Nguyen Van Luat for many years, Mr. Ro admired the former Director's straightforward and intelligent work style. When working with international expert delegations, Professor Luat always introduced key personnel from each field to work directly with the partners. This trust and respect motivated the Institute's staff and provided them with opportunities for development and growth.
Professor of Law has built a strong team of staff, proficient in both their professional skills and foreign languages. The staff are capable of directly exchanging ideas and debating with foreign experts in English. Professor Ro jokingly said, "The Director of the Institute of Law has an easy time because he has such a talented team." But in reality, he was the one who created the foundation for that team to grow. Many of the subsequent generations of the Institute later became leading experts in their fields, all nurtured in the environment where he laid the groundwork.
Having worked under two Institute Directors, Dr. Luong Dinh Cua and Professor Nguyen Van Luat, Mr. Ro expressed that the two belonged to different generations and had different styles, but shared commonalities in vision, impartiality, and dedication. After more than 10 years working with Professor Luat, what Mr. Ro truly understood was that "the achievements belong to the Institute, not to any one person."
"For Professor Nguyen Van Luat, his focus was solely on science. He paid little attention to external affairs or events. Beyond science, the Professor rarely reminded the staff at the Institute about anything, including organizational discipline. He lived a simple, gentle, approachable, and humble life," shared Associate Professor Bui Ba Bong.
Source: https://nongnghiepmoitruong.vn/gsts-nguyen-van-luat-nguoi-dua-tam-nhin-rat-xa-cho-cay-lua-d786605.html
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