Born and raised in the former Soc Trang province, now part of Can Tho city, a fertile region with a long-standing agricultural tradition, Ho Quang Cua developed an early interest in rice cultivation. After graduating in crop production in 1978, he held various positions in the local agricultural sector, devoting himself to researching and breeding rice varieties to help farmers earn a better income.
“The process of breeding rice varieties took a long time. We had to find ways to develop fragrant rice with shorter growing cycles and higher quality. Those were the challenges of that period, which eventually led to the rice-shrimp ecosystem you see today. Scientific work must ensure economic efficiency,” said Cua.
Since the 1990s, Cua and his colleagues have been breeding rice varieties under the ST brand (short for Soc Trang). Over time, multiple varieties have been developed, including ST10, ST20, and ST24, each marking improvements in yield, quality, and adaptability to different soils and climates. But it took more than 20 years of persistent effort to achieve a real breakthrough with ST25, a variety that delivers outstanding flavor, quality, and adaptability.
Cua has consistently aimed to “popularize” fragrant rice, ensuring that high-quality varieties are not confined to favorable areas but can grow in diverse conditions, including harsh saline environments. He readily shares his techniques and experience with farmers to help them improve their practices and reduce their risks.
“You can see how new rice varieties on the Ca Mau peninsula have transformed the region. Rice cultivation has made shrimp farming more stable. Farmers today can earn equal incomes from shrimp and ST25 rice,” said Cua.
Concerned about the adverse impacts of climate change, Cua and his colleagues continue to analyze rice crops. With this year’s Winter-Spring crop, they have identified a new variety with a shorter growing season, which helps to avoid early flooding.
“There’s a possibility of releasing a new variety that matures 5 to 7 days earlier than ST25. That’s our direction for the near future,” said Cua.
Ho Quang Cua has been awarded Labor Orders of different classes and was conferred the title Hero of Labor in 2013. In 2021, he and his research team were awarded the Ho Chi Minh Prize in science and technology. Cua is called “the scientist of farmers” by Mekong Delta residents.
“From short-duration rice varieties, we have steadily improved production efficiency by developing strains that are resistant to pests and diseases and adaptable to harsh environmental conditions. Hero of Labor Ho Quang Cua has made significant contributions to this progress,” Dr. Tran Ngoc Thach, Director of the Mekong Delta Rice Research Institute, said.
Le Thanh Tung, Vice Chairman and Secretary General of the Vietnam Rice Sector Association, said, “Vietnam has had its ST25 rice ranked among the world’s top varieties three times. The research and breeding efforts of Labor Hero Ho Quang Cua in developing specialty rice varieties, particularly ST25, are highly commendable. This variety features the delicate fragrance of jasmine combined with a hint of pineapple, along with the aroma of young rice from selected Vietnamese strains. Achieving this unique combination was a huge challenge.”
Cua said his research team is developing a new aromatic rice variety whose sustainable value could be much greater. “We are working on a fragrant rice variety with medicinal properties for which the glycemic index (GI) has been measured. If the GI is around 53.5, it would be very useful for people with diabetes. This variety has greater nutritional value than ST25.”
