To help Region 9’s rubber industry achieve growth, PCAARRD is supporting and guiding the implementation of the Science and Technology Community-based Farm (STCBF) on rubber production.
The STCBF concept, which is a new technology transfer and commercialization modality, is a component of PCAARRD’s Pinoy S&T Services for Farmers and Entrepreneurs.
STCBF showcases the effectiveness of S&T interventions to empower the rubber farmers by improving their productivity. Specifically, it hopes to capacitate 100 rubber farmers in Tampilisan to increase production of quality cuplumps and promote and expand rubber production in adjacent areas.
Collaborating with PCAARRD are the Jose Rizal Memorial State University (JRMSU), Kasangyaan Rural Development Foundation Inc. (KRDFI), Rubber Growers Association, and the Tampilisan local government.
In an inception meeting held recently at JRMSU-Tampilisan Campus, the project team leveled-off with their partners on the concept and methodology of the STCBF; the PCAARRD requirements; deliverables of the project; specific data to gauge the success of the project; and the details and guidelines on the use of project funds based on the approved accounting and auditing procedures.
The team also tackled its terms of reference and the commitment of the rubber growers. 
Prior to the inception meeting, the project team and their partners conducted an onsite assessment of the rubber production areas in three barangays: SayangTubod, Situbo, and Tininggaan.
The group saw the use of poor management practices among majority of rubber growers. These poor practices included the use of rubber seedlings of unknown clones, weedy plantation, irregular stand and uneven size of rubber trees, irregular planting distance, slaughter tapping, dried rubber pannels, and the use of battery solution in cuplumps.
Rubber is identified as one of the champion commodities of Region 9 by the Regional Development Council.
In 2010, Region 9 contributed 43% of the country’s total rubber production of 395, 237 metric tons from a production area of 65,084 hectares. The major rubber production areas in the region are Zamboanga Sibugay, Basilan, Zamboanga del Sur, and Zamboanga del Norte.
In Zamboanga del Norte, Tampilisan was recorded to have the most number of growers, totaling to 6,128, scattered all over 20 barangays.
Despite the strategic location of the production areas, the growth of the rubber industry is hampered by constraints from production, harvesting, processing, and marketing.
Some problems identified in these aspects include lack of investment for budwood nursery; fungal diseases on the roots, leaf, and trunk; improper tapping procedure causing bark wounding and disease; severe exploitation of the trees pannel resulting to early drying up and death of trees; tapping even during wintering stage; use of battery solution instead of formic acid for latex coagulation; adulteration of raw rubber products; and absence of premium price for good quality cuplumps.
Rubber growers agree that improved practices have to be implemented to enhance the quality and yield of processed rubber. This is exactly what the STCBF aims for the growers, and more.