The Philippine Rootcrop Research and Training Center (PhilRootcrops) is a government research, development and training institution for root and tuber crops: cassava, sweetpotato, taro, yam, yambean, arrowroot and other rootcrops. Established on March 21, 1977, through Presidential Decree No. 1107, PhilRootcrops serves as the lead agency of the National Rootcrop Research, Development, and Extension (RDE) Network. It is responsible for planning, implementing, coordinating, monitoring, and evaluating RDE programs that support the country’s root crop industry. The center is based at Visayas State University (VSU) in Baybay City, Leyte, which is recognized as a Center of Research Excellence in Agriculture.
Established in 1977 through Presidential Decree 1107, the center is based at Visayas State University, Leyte. In the 1980s–1990s, it led breakthroughs in rootcrop production, postharvest technologies, varietal improvement, and international partnerships. The 2000s brought national recognitions, expanded cassava and sweetpotato RDE, and commercialization initiatives. From 2010 onward, it focused on resilience, food security, value chain, and policy integration, especially post-Yolanda. Recently, it advanced into mechanized processing, value-added products, regional nursery programs, and genomics-driven breeding.
