On 15 November 2022, AFSIS Secretariat attended the Satellite Applications for Societal Benefit Working Group (SAWG)virtually which was the working group session of APRSAF-28 that was held physically in Hanoi, Vietnam during 15-18 November 2022.
The representatives from AFSIS Secretariat participated in the SAWG were Dr. Waraporn Saelee, AFSIS Manager, and Ms. Prodpran Lomthong, Project Coordinator.
The objectives of SAWG session were to contribute to common regional issues in the Asia-Pacific Region using space technology, in particular, Earth Observation Satellites and to establish and strengthen the cooperative framework between space agencies and stakeholders, including end-users i.e., AFSIS and development aid agencies, in a sustainable way.
During the SAWG session, Dr. Waraporn Saelee had an honor to present the AFSIS project and the implementation of AFSIS’ Rice Growing Outlook (RGO) activity and the collaboration with relevant organizations such as JAXA, ISRO, RESTEC, GISTDA, and VNSC regarding the utilization of satellite-derived agricultural information through the human resource development activities. In addition, the Meeting acknowledged the suggestions from AFSIS to keep continuous dialog with space community for the use of satellite image technology to improve the efficiency of RGO report in the future and also for the capacity building activity for ASEAN member countries that will be useful for solving the common problems in agricultural information system in the region.
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On 23 April 2026, the AFSIS Secretariat participated in the Ad-Hoc Senior Officials Meeting of the ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry (SOM-AMAF), held via a virtual platform, to discuss the implications of recent developments in the Middle East on regional food security and to identify coordinated measures to enhance ASEAN’s food resilience, in preparation for the ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry (AMAF) Meeting.
The agricultural sector plays a vital role in supporting food security and livelihoods across ASEAN, where diverse production capacities shape the availability of major agricultural commodities such as rice, maize, sugarcane, soybean, and cassava. This report examines the SSR patterns across ASEAN to emphasize regional strengths, structural imbalances, and the implications for food security and agricultural policy in the region.
The self-sufficiency ratio (SSR) is a key indicator of food security. It shows how well Southeast Asian countries can meet rice demand through domestic production, with the region overall remaining increasingly self-sufficient despite ongoing challenges.
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On 19 March 2026, the AFSIS Secretariat participated in the Asia and the Pacific Food Systems Forum 2026 under the theme “Feeding the Future, Sustaining the Planet” in Manila, the Philippines, organized by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) . The forum aimed to promote food security policies, review ADB’s related initiatives, and support long-term food systems transformation.
