08/10/2025
“For me, doing science means serving the farmers,” says Dr. Ninh, who has spent his entire career quietly but tirelessly applying research to real-life agricultural production. His approach combines modern scientific thinking with deep understanding of local farming practices, creating the image of a dedicated scientist who literally “stands with the farmers” — not just in research papers, but right there on the rice paddies, corn hills, and sugarcane fields.
Over his 35 years of work, Dr. Ninh has made significant contributions to agriculture, farmers, and rural development in Thanh Hoa Province and beyond. He has successfully conducted five major research projects, including one at the ministerial level, and led or co-organized more than 35 pilot models applying scientific advances in 32 communes across 10 provinces, directly benefiting over 10,000 farming households.
In recognition of his achievements, the Central Committee of the Vietnam Farmers’ Union named him one of the 32 “Farmer’s Scientists of 2025.”
Born in 1965 in Binh Minh Ward, Nghi Son Town (Thanh Hoa Province), Dr. Ninh began his agricultural career in 1988. From technical officer to plant protection station chief, to university lecturer and faculty manager, he has always placed the needs of farmers at the center of his efforts.
While working in districts such as Tinh Gia and Lang Chanh, he played an active role in pest control, helping stabilize crop productivity and quality. He organized over 35 IPM (Integrated Pest Management) training courses, helping thousands of farmers in remote areas gain access to modern agricultural knowledge.
In 2002, when the purple stripe disease attacked the luong bamboo forests of Lang Chanh—a major pest with no known cure at the time—Dr. Ninh pioneered an integrated management solution that saved over 3,000 hectares of bamboo forest and protected the livelihoods of local farmers.
In 2003, he joined Hong Duc University, where he has since served as lecturer and later Vice Dean. Through specialized courses such as Entomology, Pesticide Chemistry, and Safe Agricultural Production, he continues to inspire students with his passion and practical experience.
He has published over 30 scientific papers in national and international journals, and successfully supervised 18 master’s students and one PhD candidate.
Among his many contributions, Dr. Ninh is best known for developing the hybrid corn variety QT55—the first hybrid corn successfully bred by scientists in Thanh Hoa. The QT55 variety has proven to be high-yielding, drought-tolerant, and well-suited to harsh climatic conditions. It was officially recognized for trial production and approved for nationwide circulation by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (now the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment).
QT55 has been widely cultivated across ecological regions, delivering 18–23% higher economic efficiency compared to conventional varieties. It has attracted interest from major seed companies such as ThaiBinh Seed and Phuong Nam Seed for commercial licensing.
This achievement earned Dr. Ninh the Third Prize of the Vietnam Science and Technology Innovation Awards (VIFOTEC) in 2023—an important milestone that placed Thanh Hoa’s agricultural science on the national innovation map.
According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bui Van Dung, President of Hong Duc University, “Dr. Le Van Ninh is not only a dedicated lecturer but also an outstanding scientist in the field of agriculture. The success of the QT55 hybrid corn and his national recognition as one of Vietnam’s ‘Farmer’s Scientists’ are great honors for both him and the university.”
With more than 35 years of unwavering dedication to science, education, and rural development, Dr. Le Van Ninh truly embodies the spirit of a scientist for the people—a “Farmer’s Scientist” whose knowledge, passion, and humility continue to make a lasting difference in the lives of Vietnamese farmers.