37th
UGNAY PALAY
National Rice R4D Conference
25 - 27 November 2025 | DA-CBC Plenary Hall | DA-PhilRice CES
About the Conference
As DA-PhilRice celebrates its 40th founding anniversary, we find it timely and appropriate to adopt the theme ‘40 Years of Rice Innovations: Sowing Progress, Harvesting Prosperity’ for this year’s conference. The 37th Ugnay Palay National Rice R4D Conference becomes a strategic platform to revisit our shared journey–highlighting the significant scientific breakthroughs, institutional partnerships, and field-level interventions that have contributed to the transformation of rice-farming communities and the broader agri-food system.
The conference is anchored on the belief that R4DE must be responsive, inclusive, and forward-looking. Amid the challenges posed by climate change, dwindling natural resources, technological disruptions, and shifting policy landscapes, the Ugnay Palay serves as a venue to galvanize the rice R4DE community toward co-creating solutions, fostering strong partnerships, and aligning efforts with national and global sustainable development goals.
This annual convergence of rice scientists, farmers, youth, policymakers, and private sector collaborators will feature insights on past accomplishments, critical reflections on ongoing initiatives, and forward-looking discussions to guide the next generation of innovations and policy directions. It will serve as a pivotal platform for knowledge sharing, reflection, and strategic collaboration in charting the course for a resilient, inclusive, and technology-driven rice industry.
About DA-PhilRice
Promulgated in November 1985, Executive Order No. 1061 mandates DA-PhilRice to lead the National Rice Research for Development and Extension (R4DE) program to improve and sustain rice production in the country. Since then, the Institute has contributed significantly to advancing rice science and technology, improving farm productivity, and enhancing the well-being of Filipino rice farmers. It has been at the forefront of generating, scaling, and sustaining science-based solutions in rice farming that continue to uplift the lives of millions of rice-farming families across the country.
This year marks four decades of DA-PhilRice’s leadership in rice R4DE and its transformative impacts on the country’s food security, rural development, and scientific advancement. The Institute was able to deliver these impacts over the years because of its strong and close partnerships with the Department of Agriculture (DA) and a dynamic network of collaborators—including state colleges and universities, local government units, the private sector, non-government organizations, and farmer groups.
Our Event Speakers and Panelists
Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr.
Department of Agriculture
Conference
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