The governments of Vietnam and Australia sent representatives to attend the funeral of Professor Vo Tong Xuan, honorary rector of Nam Can Tho University in Can Tho City, southern Vietnam on Wednesday.

At approximately 10:35 am, Nguyen Van Hieu, the Party chief of Can Tho City, led a delegation to pay their final respects to Professor Vo Tong Xuan, who passed away in Ho Chi Minh City at 7:00 am on Monday.

Representing Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and the National Assembly deputies of Can Tho, Hieu offered incense and conveyed condolences to the professor's son, Vo Tong Anh, and other family members.

Earlier that day, representatives from the Australian government, including officials from the Australian Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City and the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), also paid tribute to the late professor.

Nguyen Thi Thanh An, ACIAR Vietnam country manager, highlighted Professor Xuan's significant role as the first Vietnamese advisor to Australia's Policy Advisory Council for International Agricultural Research and Development approximately 25 years ago.

She expressed profound respect and sorrow for his passing, noting his dedication to advancing Vietnamese agriculture and his role as a model for many young scientists.

An emphasized that Professor Xuan had established a strong foundation for the partnership between Australia and Vietnam, particularly in agricultural research.

She extended her deepest condolences to the family, writing in the condolence book, "May you rest in peace."

People’s Teacher Prof. Xuan was revered as a leading expert and an active contributor to Vietnam’s agricultural research and science.

He was Vietnam’s agricultural master, who helped many nations in the region with food security.

Born in An Giang Province in the Mekong Delta region in 1940, Xuan secured a scholarship to study at the University of the Philippines Los Baños College of Agriculture and Food Science in 1961.

In 1966, he graduated from the university and earned a bachelor's degree in agricultural chemistry.

He then served as a postgraduate at the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines.

While his career was at its peak at the Philippines-based institute, he decided to return to Vietnam for work in June 1971.

After going back to his country, he worked at Can Tho University, teaming up with Japanese researchers to carry out multiple projects related to rice-growing techniques and debuting numerous scientific articles to popularize agricultural techniques and policies.

In 1974, he traveled to Japan to study rice-growing techniques in tropical areas at Kyushu University.

He completed his agronomy curriculum there and earned his PhD in 1975.  

In addition to his expertise in agriculture, he was also a dedicated and talented educator.

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