Rice for the Rainfed Areas : Aerobic Rice Seed Production Proponents : Dr. Josie A. Valdez Dr. Junel B. Soriano Gregory Moses V. Villacorta Myrna S. Eguia Implementing Agency: Bulacan Agricultural State College Cooperating Agencies : International Rice Research Institute National Soil Water Resources Research and Development Center DA- Local Government Units –Region 3 Funding Agency : Commission on Higher Education Duration : Three Years Budgetary Requirements : Php 1,000,000.00 Funding Agency : Commission on Higher Education Duration : Three Years Budgetary Requirements : Php 1,000,000.00 Aerobic Rice Technology Among the noted advantages of Aerobic Rice Technology : (1) low input requirement; (2) manageability (3)yield competitiveness (4) profitability; (5) early establishment which enhances productivity; (6) resistance to pests and diseases; (7) weed competitiveness, these attributes made the farmers employ aerobic rice technology in their farm One way of increasing production in water scarce irrigation systems is through improving the cropping systems, optimize the use of available water and growing crops not susceptible to water stress such as “Aerobic Rice” Limited water in rainfed ecosystems which causes low cropping intensity tremendously contribute to low cropping production, particularly in rice, resulting to low income of farmers in the area. There is a need therefore, to adopt alternative technologies for rice production in rainfed areas such as, Aerobic rice Technology in order to mitigate the pressure of feeding billions of people relying on rice as well as to increase the income of the farmers State of the Art: The most important commodity in the Philippines is rice. Being the staple food, it can hardly cope with the increasing population of our country. Rice farming can be considered as one of the significant source of income of the Filipino Farmers One of the thrust of the Department of Agriculture is the GMA Rice Program, which is committed to provide enough rice for the Filipinos. It aims that by the year 2010, the country will achieve 95% rice self sufficiency. Moreover, it focuses on improving rice productivity and the income of the farmers Rice growing provinces has different productivity levels resulting to distinct agro-climatic conditions which bumpers rice production. Thus, rice program focuses on location specific interventions (LSI) such as infra structure development, research and development (R &D), extension and environmental factors could be used to served as power houses for attaining rice self sufficiency To this degree, “Science-based technologies that address key production constraints in the arm are still among the most effective and cost efficient means of improving productivity”. Thus new rice technologies like the “Aerobic Rice Seeds Technology could help increase rice production in the community” The purpose of the project is to produce quality aerobic rice seeds to be distributed in rainfed farms not only in the third district of Bulacan, but also in some provinces in the region, thereby the supply of rice will be greater to feed the increasing population in the country.