DA-RFO1 Regional Executive Director Annie Q. Bares and Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) President Shirley C. Agrupis signed the renewal of the land use agreement for the agency’s Ilocos Norte Research and Experiment Center (INREC) station in Batac City on Tuesday, July 29.

Under the signed Memorandum of Agreement, MMSU will grant DA-RFO1 a 5.94-hectare area known as the DA-INREC Batac station for a 25-year period. The agreement is renewable for another 25 years upon mutual consent.

The signing was witnessed by DA-RFO1 Regional Technical Director for Operations Dennis I. Tactac, MMSU Vice President for Research and Development Dr. Nathaniel Alibuyog, Extension Director Dr. Marilou P. Lucas, Research Director Dr. Dionisio S. Bucao, MMSU Legal Officer Atty. Ma. Sianata Marcos, OIC-INREC Chief Mr. Charles Charlie Belisario, and DA-BPI representative Mr. Danny Russel O. Arcangel.

The DA-INREC Batac Station serves as a hub for agricultural research, development, and extension activities. It provides demonstration facilities and platforms for the efficient transfer of technologies from research institutions and acts as a learning center for farmers and fisherfolk.

Through this partnership, DA and MMSU recognize the potential of their collaboration to bolster rural development in the Ilocos Region. The original MoA was signed by both parties on January 27, 2000.