Envisioning a fully mechanized farming, an efficient seed processing facility, and a thriving community of experts, Negros Branch Director Leo T. Sta. Ines believes that the station has a promising future as he expressed during his speech in the branch’s celebration program on July 31.
PhilRice Negros being the sixth home of the Institute, celebrated its 20th anniversary with the theme: “Unite and celebrate the two decades of existence.”
Negros station has thus far provided over a million bags of top-quality seeds to farmers, reaching rice communities through its R4D efforts. Additionally, the station’s dedicated extension team has effectively motivated numerous rice-farming groups to engage in agripreneurship.
Director Sta. Ines proudly presented the growth and achievements of the station.
“It started on a portion of sugarcane land with only a few hectares dedicated to rice cultivation within the hacienda. Today, the station boasts of 24 structures with nearly all fields developed and equipped with warehouses, office buildings, a dormitory, and a lab facility,” he recollected.
The branch’s journey started as Congressional Representative Alfredo G. Marañon Jr, the landowner of where the station now stands, offered an area to PhilRice.
To support the Institute’s mission of achieving rice self-sufficiency and uplifting rice farmers, the provincial government of Negros Occidental extended help, which aimed to foster agricultural development and enhance rice production in the region.
It became evident that the establishment of the station in Sitio Marañon, Brgy. Cansilayan, Murcia, went beyond fulfilling the aspirations of PhilRice leaders then headed by Executive Director Leocadio S. Sebastian, now DA Undersecretary for Rice Industry Development.
The station assisted in several positive changes in its location, such as access to electricity for the first time, some residents being granted a portion of land, and others being offered stable employment opportunities in the PhilRice fields.
Remaining true to its mission of serving rice industry stakeholders of Western and Central Visayas, the station zeroed in on conducting rice R&D while promoting science and appropriate production technology, with focus on rainfed and organically grown rice.
