The 21st AFSIS Focal Point Meeting was held on 17-18 May 2023 in Vientiane, Lao PDR. It was organized by the AFSIS Secretariat in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Lao PDR, the host country. The meeting was chaired by Dr. Thatsaka Saphangthong, Director General of the Department of Planning and Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Lao PDR.
The distinguished participants included AFSIS Focal Points from 10 ASEAN Member States, as well as, the People’s Republic of China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea. Representatives from the ASEAN Secretariat, APTERR Secretariat, Remote Sensing Technology Center of Japan (RESTEC), AFSIS Secretariat, and observers from EGIS Global Development Cooperation Center, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), and Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of Lao PDR were also present.
The 21st AFSIS Focal Point Meeting is a great opportunity for the AFSIS Focal Points and all participants to share, discuss, and extend the knowledge and innovation on agricultural statistics, challenges of food security in the region, and sustainable development goals. The main objectives of the meeting are to inform the ASEAN Plus Three Countries about the outcomes and achievements of AFSIS in 2022 and to consider the work plan in 2023, and related issues.
Particularly, during this year’s AFSIS Focal Point Meeting, the draft concept note of AFSIS new framework, which was prepared by AFSIS Secretariat between October to November 2022 and jointly reviewed and discussed in the Bilateral Meeting between AFSIS Secretariat and ASEAN Plus Three countries, including the ASEAN Secretariat from December 2022 to May 2023, was endorsed in the meeting for further action.
Furthermore, AFSIS Secretariat will present the endorsed concept note of AFSIS new framework to the ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry (AMAF) and the ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry Plus Three (AMAF+3) via the Special Senior Officials Meeting of the ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry (SSOM-AMAF) and Special Senior Officials Meeting of the ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry Plus Three (SSOM-AMAF+3) scheduled for August 2023 with the aim to seek their approval and direction of AFSIS’ position in the long-term.
The Meeting expressed appreciation toward the roles of the AFSIS Secretariat in strengthening food security and vowed to continually cooperate and support the projects under AFSIS implementation. It successfully ended with great collaboration from all participants. The next 22nd AFSIS Focal Point Meeting will be hosted by Malaysia on 11-12 June 2024 in Putrajaya, Malaysia as a physical meeting.
The tropical cyclones that impacted the Philippines in November 2024, including Yinxing, Oraji, Usagi, and Man-Yi, have caused widespread devastation across several provinces, resulting in heavy rainfall, severe winds, flooding, and significant agricultural damage. These storms have left communities grappling with extensive losses, including damaged crops, disrupted livelihoods, and displacement. Despite the severe impacts, the government of the Philippines, along with international aid from neighboring countries and global partners, has mobilized resources for relief and recovery. The ongoing efforts to assist those affected highlight the resilience of the Filipino people and the importance of continued preparedness in the face of natural disasters.
On 26-27 November 2024, Dr. Sumanya Ngandee, the AFSIS Manager, participated in the 30th session of the Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF-30), held in Perth, Australia. This event was co-organized by the Australian Space Agency (ASA), the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) of Japan, and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). The forum's focus was to bring together stakeholders from various space agencies in the Asia-Pacific region to address pressing regional issues through space-based solutions.
On Sunday, November 3, 2024, at 22:57 WITA, Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, one of Indonesia’s 120 active volcanoes, erupted on the island of Flores in East Nusa Tenggara province, The eruption, lasting 24 minutes (1,450 seconds), was recorded with a massive amplitude of 47.3 mm. According to Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency, a strong eruption sent ash up to 2,000 meters (6,500 feet), affecting over 10,000 people. Smaller eruptions followed on November 5-6. In response, the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) raised the volcano’s alert status to “Awas” (Level IV), indicating a high danger level.
On November 12, 2024, Dr. Sumanya Nagdee, AFSIS Manager, participated in the Completion and Handover Ceremony for the project "Establishing Real-Time ASEAN Food Security Information System (AFSIS) and Development of Human Resources 3rd Phase – Pilot Project on Strategic Crop Forecasting System for Food Security in Indonesia." The event, which took place in Jakarta, Indonesia, was supported by the Government of the Republic of Korea and This meeting was chaired by Ms. Intan Rahayu, Director of the Center of Agricultural Data and System Information (CADIS) under Indonesia's Ministry of Agriculture, and Mr. An Jaerok, Vice President of EPIS from South Korea, along with representatives from various sectors.
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