Dr. Le Vinh Thao from Vietnam Agricultural Science Institute on Nov. 10 was presented with an award by the Cuban Association of Agricultural and Forestry Technicians (ACTAF).

The award named “ Working for Life”, the highest distinction the ACTAF can bestow, was presented to an overseas expert for the first time, in recognition of Thao’s great contributions to rice cultivation in Cuba.

At the awards ceremony, Thao confirmed that he would continue to promote the agricultural sector in the Caribbean country and help to carry out the plan to ensure Cuba ’s food security as well as enhance the solidarity, friendship and comprehensive relationship between the two countries.

Thao graduated from Cuba ’s Marta Abreu University in 1973 after studying Agriculture Development.

Since 2000, he has been taking part in a programme to help Cuban households grow rice. The project, with the assistance of Vietnamese agricultural specialists, has begun its third phase after successfully being rolled out in six provinces, but mainly in Holguin and Granma.

Rice output from the experimental fields reached 8-9 tonnes per ha, triple the amount before the project got underway.

At the recent meeting of the Inter-governmental Committee on Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation, the two countries signed a protocol on the disbursement and management of the programme’s funds to develop and produce rice in Cuba over the period 2009-2015./.