Speaking to VietNamNet about Resolution 57, Tran Manh Bao, Labor Hero, president of Thai Binh Seed, says he had a ‘strong feeling’ when reading the resolution, believing that it will a driving force for the country’s development.

You are the creator of many renowned rice varieties cultivated across fields nationwide. When did your journey of becoming a scientist in agriculture begin?

This story dates back about 40 years, when I was assigned to work at the Dong Co Rice Seed Farm in Thai Binh. My task was to conduct trials on rice varieties and give advice on which rice varieties should be used for production.

I was given four rice varieties, and after testing, I chose one originating from Japan. This variety produced delicious rice with soft, non-sticky grains. During the trials, I cooked the harvested rice and invited provincial leaders to taste it.

That marked the beginning of my journey in scientific research.

This continued until 2000 when I was appointed Director of the Thai Binh Crop Seed Company, the predecessor of today’s Thai Binh Seed. At that time, the fields were full of water spinach and wild vegetables. And we conducted our initial scientific research on those fields.

Later, I established the Science and Technology Division to oversee technical production management and variety testing. Three rice varieties were officially recognized. Among them, TBR1 stood out with superior traits such as a short growth period, sturdy stems, excellent resistance to lodging, and a high yield (more than 7.5 tons per hectare).

This was an extremely high yield if noting that the yield in Thai Binh, which was then famous as the land with the highest rice output, was just 5 tons per hectare.

TBR1 was later recognized as a national rice variety and put into production starting from the spring season of 2006.

Which achievement are you most proud of over your decades of scientific research?

At a recent international conference held in Hanoi, many participants mentioned rice varieties from Thai Binh Seed, including TBR225, which and co-workers and I developed. This variety is currently very ‘hot’ in northern regions and several central provinces.

TBR225 was bred from a high-yielding variety, but with cultivation flaws, with a variety offering high-quality rice and good resilience but lower yields. The new variety nearly could meet all the desired criteria.

In Quang Nam, farmers growing TBR225 can harvest 10 tons of dry rice per hectare per crop, surpassing the national average, while still meeting the standards for aromatic, tasty rice.

In Vinh Phuc, 70 percent of the rice cultivation area uses this variety.

How did scientific research in the past differ from today with technological support?

In the past, developing varieties was primarily a manual process, requiring significant time and effort at every stage. 

In general, it took 10 years to fulfill all stages to put one rice variety into commercial production.

But things are different now, with the support of high technology. Nowadays, it takes us only one week to find if the genes of new varieties are as good as we want, the phase that cost us several years before.

However, the problem is we need a high-quality workforce to utilize technology scientific research and agriculture. Not all private enterprises can do this.

You have many times mentioned the need for high-quality workforce, high technology and relationships. Do the three factors serve as the pillars for Thai Binh Seed development?

Yes, they do. These three pillars are closely interconnected. Twenty-five years ago, I decided to spend VND500 million to send two staff members to study crossing rice varieties at Sichuan Agricultural University (China) for six months. 

I also sent staff to study English at a university in Hanoi. Thai Binh Party Committee Secretary summoned me and asked about the decision, and I explained that staff needs to improve their qualifications to conduct research and apply technology achievements in production.

What do you think about Resolution 57?

Resolution 57 is of utmost importance to the country today. If implemented correctly with the five perspectives outlined, it will serve as a catalyst for national development. Otherwise, we risk remaining trapped in the low-middle-income bracket or sliding backward rapidly.

For the first time, a resolution at the highest level identifies people and enterprises as critical components. The role of scientists is also clearly defined in this resolution.

Tam An - Hien Anh