The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) is partnering with a state university in Negros Occidental to strengthen research and development of rice-based food products that could create new income streams for farmers and small food entrepreneurs.
Through its Rice Chemistry and Food Science Division (RCFSD), PhilRice provides funding and technical support for food science and nutrition research while gathering local consumer data and market studies in the region.
The collaboration with the State University of Northern Negros (SUNN) has enabled students and faculty to conduct product testing and market profiling that bridged research gaps and supported micro-scale food businesses.
“In any partnership, what matters most is that you deliver and you build trust,” said Dr. Riza G. Abilgos-Ramos, PhilRice career scientist and registered nutritionist-dietitian.
SUNN recently recognized RCFSD during its PAGKILALA 2025 ceremony for its contributions to the university’s College of Agriculture and Allied Sciences, citing its hands-on support for thesis students and research projects focused on rice-based innovations.
“We’re very happy, but we also feel that we still have more to do. We’re very humbled that even with the small help we were able to extend to the university, they recognized us. We work with partner universities, but SUNN was the first to formally give us this kind of recognition,” Abilgos-Ramos said.
PhilRice said it plans to replicate similar partnerships with other universities nationwide to boost local food innovation and help the rice sector tap into new markets.
