Prof. Yuan Longping: 'The Father of Hybrid Rice'

MANILA, Philippines - This “very simple man” is acknowledged in China as the “Father of Hybrid Rice.”

He is one of the world’s outstanding scientists in agricultural science and technology, “having built a legacy of combating food shortages and hunger through his successful development of high-yielding rice varieties.”

Through its hybrid rice program, China, the world’s most populous nation, is able to feed its 1.3 billion people and export its surplus in the world market.

The Chinese government turned to hybrid seeds developed by him in the 1970s to turn around its rice production. In China, more than 60 percent of its rice lands are planted to hybrid rice.

The United Nations (UN) Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the UN World Intellectual Property Organization, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), as well as academic and non-governmental institutions in the US, Japan, Great Britain and other countries, conferred on him nine honorary titles and prizes.

This man is none other than Prof. Yuan Longping whose remarkable achievements in hybrid rice research have won him numerous awards and commendations including the coveted China ’s State Supreme Science and Technology Award presented to him by former People’s Republic of China President Jiang Zemin.

In 2001, Prof. Yuan was in the country as one of the recipients of the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Awards.

During his short stint in Manila, he paid a courtesy call on former President Gloria Arroyo in Malacanang, accompanied by Henry Lim, chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of SL Agritech Corp.

“I met Prof. Yuan in China. I told him everything about my desire to grow hybrid rice here in the Philippines. And I thank God the good professor made true his promise to transfer hybrid rice farming technology to the Philippines. The rest was history. Marami na ngayon sa ating mga magsasaka sa buong bansa ang gumagamit ng teknolohiyang ito na tinuro sa atin ni  Prof. Yuan,” Lim said, adding “Prof. Yuan’s name will shine forever.”

In 2006, Lim was cited by the China National Hybrid Rice Research and Development Centre for his “successful development and commercialization of the SL Series of hybrid rice varieties in the Philippines .” He went to China to personally receive the plaque of commendation from Prof. Yuan who is the director of the Centre.

Lim said that as of to date, five Asian countries including Nigeria,  have already been adopting his firm’s hybrid rice technology. These are, he said, Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, Bangladesh and Vietnam. “Brunei Darussalam and Myanmar (formerly Burma ) will also be importing our hybrid seeds soon,” he added.