Offering sustainable food and new livelihood for farmers and women in Ilocandia, the MMSU distributes moringa seedlings to interested farmer organizations in Ilocos Norte.

This February, some 2,000 moringa seedlings from the Malunggay Nursery in Lubbot Experimental Farm were distributed. Six farmer organization from Dingras and Solsona received these seedlings produced through the project, Massive Moringa Seedling Production, funded by the Department of Agriculture (DA).

“Malunggay is a high-value crop. And with its promises for pharmaceutical applications, we envision the Ilocos to be a hub of this ‘green gold’, shared MMSU President, Dr. Shirley C Agrupis, project leader of the Malunggay project.

A total of 40,000 moringa seedlings will be distributed. Last December, the University started training interested individuals and organizations in the Ilocos that shall bolster the province to be a strategic plantation of malunggay in the country.

The University has likewise initiated bolder steps to intensify malunggay production. The project, Accelerating Moringa Commercialization through Academe-Community-Industry Partnerships, with funding support from the Department of Agriculture – Bureau of Agricultural Research (DA-BAR) will be instrumental in establishing in-campus malunggay plantations and off-campus production areas. The project will establish partnership with farmer cooperatives and organizations to partner local government units (LGUs) to include Piddig, Dingras, City of Batac, Paoay, Currimao, Solsona, and Badoc, and many others.

The University will also lead in the establishment of key processing facilities for herbal plants through the project, Upgrading and Expansion of the Moringa Processing Facilities into Herbal Research for Development (R4D) Processing Facility in the MMSU Lubbot Experimental Farm, with funding support from the DA-BAR.

The distribution of malunggay seedlings continues to LGUs which signified their interest for the project.

• MMSU extension personnel undergo retooling for sustainable, innovative agri practices

  OCT 21, 2025

  By Joycel Lagrio, STRATCOM CorrespondentMariano Marcos State University (MMSU), through its Extension Directorate, launched the Extension Workers' Technology Update Series titled Retooling for Enhanced Promotion of MMSU-Generated Agricultural Technologies in observance of the first Agriculture... [view more]
• MMSU expands indigenous food plant seedbanks and foodscapes in LGUs

  OCT 21, 2025

  By Joycel Lagrio, STRATCOM Correspondent In celebration of World Food Day, the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU), through its Extension and Research Directorates, partnered with local government units (LGUs) and schools for the establishment of Community Foodscapes and Seedbanks for Indige... [view more]
• Research projects of MMSU bag awards at nat’l extension confab

  OCT 12, 2025

  By Joycel Lagrio, STRATCOM CorrespondentWith its transformative role in advancing inclusive and sustainable community development, the Extension Directorate of Mariano Marcos State University garnered multiple awards during the 2025 National Extension Conference held at Cavite State University, Inda... [view more]
• MMSU clinches two best paper awards at SUC-ACAP confab

  SEP 02, 2025

  By Joycel Lagrio, STRATCOM CorrespondentResearchers of Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) won two Best Paper Awards at the 2025 State Universities and Colleges–Association of Colleges of Agriculture in the Philippines (SUC-ACAP) Biennial Conference and General Assembly, held on August 27-2... [view more]
• 2025 Rice Paddy art features CHED Chair Agrupis

  AUG 22, 2025

  By Michael VisayaMariano Marcos State University (MMSU), in partnership with the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), unveiled this year’s rice paddy art featuring Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Chairperson Shirley C. Agrupis and her ACHIEVE agenda today, August 22, at the MMS... [view more]