Background Information Among millions of Filipinos, the coconut is considered as the tree of life. This crop is an important source of livelihood to approximately 1/3 of the Philippine population. The coconut then will continue to play a vital role in the lives of coconut farmers and traders who depend primarily in this industry. The need to improve and protect the coconut industry cannot be taken for granted. In 1974, a team of distinguished scientists commissioned by the then Philippine Council for Agriculture and Resources Research recommended the establishment of a regional center to spearhead the coconut research and development in the Visayas. In December 1975, the Regional Coconut Research Center was established at the then Visayas State College of Agriculture with  its manpower and infrastructure strength. Formerly known as the Regional Coconut Research Center, it was upgraded and renamed National Coconut Research Center-Visayas on August 10, 2000 by virtue of ViSCA BOT Resolution No. 46. With its conversion, the center's research, development and extension activities are now expanded to the entire Visayas region.

Vision

A vibrant center that spearheads the coconut research and development in the Visayas

Mission

To enhance rural development especially in coconut growing areas in the Visayas through the generation of sustainable, modern and environment-friendly coconut technologies and the establishment of viable and profitable coconut-based rural enterprises.

Goal

To generate, utilize and disseminate profitable technologies and increase the income per unit area of coconut farmers.

To develop and transfer technologies to enable small Visayan coconut farmers derive more income  from their coconut land.

Specific Objectives

1. To collect, conserve and characterize germplasm of local and introduced coconut cultivars

2. To generate and/or optimize technologies on coconut intercrops and maintain viable and profitable demonstrations farms

3. To generate and/or optimize coconut seedling production technologies and by-product utilization and establishment of viable and profitable rural processing centers

4. To establish sustainable marketing linkages and outlets for coconut-based food and non-food products

5. To conduct accounting of pests and diseases of coconut in the Visayas

6. To conduct socio-economics, policy advocacy, health and nutrition studies.