Accessing Knowledge from Global Arena to Help Vietnamese Farmers
Pham Thi Vuong
My early life and education
I was born in a rural area of the Hai Duong province, now Hai Phong city. In my childhood, my village had vast rice fields, but now many such fields have been converted into schools, hospitals, houses, and industrial zones. Whenever I return there, I still fondly remember the old days with endless rice paddies stretching as far as the eye could see, and the vast expanse of ponds, lakes, and rivers.
After graduating from high school in 1976, I entered the University of Agriculture. On graduation, I joined the Vietnam Institute of Plant Protection, under the Ministry of Agriculture, in Hanoi, where I worked for 36 years until my retirement as Director of the Institute in 2017.
ICRISAT and my post-graduate studies
My country had just gone through war and was poor, and so I did not have the opportunity to study further. For Vietnamese scientists, studying abroad, especially at international institutions, is a dream. In 1993, I went to ICRISAT in Patancheru, near Hyderabad, India, for 8-months of in-service training, after being nominated by the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Ngo The Dan, who was the national coordinator of CLAN project with ICRISAT.
On reaching ICRISAT, I did not know much English, and I spent my first night in a toilet at the ICRISAT Dormitories, as I left the room key in the room and got locked out. Next morning I was able to enter the room after my Vietnamese friend helped me get the duplicate key from the Housing Office.
After 8 months of studying at ICRISAT, I improved my English and gained considerable knowledge. I was a keen learner and after my regular classes, I studied plant protection (especially entomology) with support from ICRISAT scientists (especially Drs Ranga Rao, Nigam, Gowda, and others).
Because of my diligence and interest, ICRISAT accepted me for a research internship to pursue my Doctoral thesis. I went back to ICRISAT as a doctoral student in 1998. Through hard work, I was able to conduct the basic, challenging experiments in just six months, which would have been impossible to do in Vietnam.
I successfully defended my doctoral dissertation in 1998. Since then, I have embarked on a fruitful scientific journey. I have returned to ICRISAT many times for conferences, meetings, etc., and imbibed recent research information and knowledge. The support and guidance of ICRISAT scientists remains in my heart, even now, despite being thousands of miles apart.
My research at Plant Protection Research Institute (PPRI), Hanoi
I conducted research on pests and diseases affecting legumes, coffee, rice, and many other crops. In 2000, I worked as a post-doctoral researcher in South Korea. I rose through the ranks from a research officer to a team leader, then a deputy head of department, head of department, deputy director, and finally became Director of PPRI in 2013.
Post retirement activities
After retirement, I am involved in developing organic agriculture and the circular economy with the Que Lam Group. As Vice President of the Vietnam Circular Agriculture Association and Director of the Institute for Research and Application of Biotechnology, I continue to contribute to responsible agriculture in Vietnam and the world. My achievements are the result of my own efforts, with the support of my family, and especially the encouragement and support of leaders and scientists from Vietnam, ICRISAT-India, and South Korea.
Advice to future scientists
- To succeed, you must first love the profession you have chosen.
- Learning always goes hand in hand with experimentation: the more you experiment, the more you discover new things
- While working with other scientists, be humble and diligent in your learning, and share your knowledge to improve others.
- Dedicate yourself fully to your profession, and you will be rewarded for your efforts. No matter who you are or what you do, never forget the kindness of those who have helped you, even in the smallest way.