What does the Department of Agriculture say?

TPO - The leader of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Ho Chi Minh City said that because the information had no scientific basis, the Irrigation Department did not discuss anything further with the unit that sent the document.

Regarding the case of the Center for Translation and Science and Technology (under the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations) sending a document to the Ho Chi Minh City Irrigation Department to "introduce people with the ability to pray for rain but have not yet verified it", on the morning of April 15, informing Tien Phong reporter, a leader of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Agriculture and Rural Development confirmed: The Irrigation Department (a unit under the department) has received this document.

"Because the information has no scientific basis, the Irrigation Department will not discuss anything further with the unit that sent the document," said the leader of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Ho Chi Minh City.

Ho Chi Minh City and the Southern region are in the peak of the hot season, and the rainy season is forecast to begin in about a month. (Illustration: Duy Anh)

In recent days, social networks have been abuzz with the document "introducing people with the ability to pray for rain but not yet verified" from the Center for Translation and Science and Technology (Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations).

Talking to reporters, Dr. Nguyen Hoang Diep - Director of the Center confirmed that the above document was indeed sent by his agency.

Dr. Diep said that Mr. Le Minh Hoang (57 years old, living in Hanoi) came to see him many times and asked the Translation and Science and Technology Center to introduce him to the southern provinces and cities that are suffering from drought.

“We have studied world documents in Russia, Türkiye and Egypt that there were people who were able to do that (pray for rain) before. Whether or not Mr. Hoang can do that depends on practice. We have not checked. In the document, I have clearly stated that it is not confirmed yet,” said Dr. Diep.

Previously, in a document sent to the Ho Chi Minh City Irrigation Department, Dr. Nguyen Hoang Diep said that Mr. Le Minh Hoang introduced himself as having the ability to effectively pray for rain.

"However, in reality, we have not verified this issue, but we are very saddened by the drought and crop failures in some southern provinces, so I would like to introduce Mr. Le Minh Hoang to the Ho Chi Minh City Irrigation Department. If Mr. Hoang really has that miraculous ability, our country will be blessed and the southern provinces that are facing drought will be saved. However, once again, we would like to emphasize that we have not confirmed or denied whether Mr. Le Minh Hoang has the ability to pray for rain or not" - the document clearly stated.