KOICA-UPLB successfully launches Agricultural Genomics Research Center in Los Baños
The Philippines has opened its first dedicated facility for agricultural genomics, the Agricultural Genomics Research Center (AGRC), creating a national hub for advanced genomics, bioinformatics, and related technologies for agricultural research and crop improvement.
- KOICA
- genomics
LOS BAÑOS, Philippines (21 September 2026) — The Philippines has opened its first dedicated facility for agricultural genomics, the Agricultural Genomics Research Center (AGRC), creating a national hub for advanced genomics, bioinformatics, and related technologies for agricultural research and crop improvement.
Located at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), the center brings together technologies in genomics and other “omics” fields, including transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics. The center will serve as a regional resource for research and development across crops, livestock, and microorganisms, with applications in areas such as climate resilience, food security, and environmental sustainability.
For rice, genomic information can help breeders identify useful traits and accelerate the development of varieties better adapted to drought, flooding, disease, and other challenges. The same technologies can be applied to research on other crops, livestock, and microorganisms.
The AGRC was established through a six-year, USD 14.95 million project funded by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), in partnership with UPLB, and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) as project management consultant.