The Joint Research Meeting on 6 and 8 December 2023 and Site Visits on Rice Yield Estimation using Satellite Data on 7 December 2023 were conducted in Thailand with the cooperation of the Office of Agricultural Economics (OAE) of Thailand, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) of Japan, Remote Sensing Technology Center (RESTEC) of Japan, and the AFSIS Secretariat.
The Objectives of the meeting and site visits were to learn detailed survey methods and the actual rice cultivation situation on the site for the development of rice yield forecasting method using satellite Meteorological Information project
On 6th December, Mr. Hosaka Masahiro, Deputy Director of the Statistic Planning Division, Statistic Department from MAFF, Japan, shared the project introduction followed by the representative of RESTEC, Mr. Junpei Yamamoto, shared the status and future plan
for the future project. The last session was presented by the representative from OAE on the introduction of statistical survey methodology and Crop-cutting Methodology in Thailand.
On 7th December, the AFSIS Secretariat with the collaboration of the Regional Office of Agricultural Economics 7 (ROAE 7) conducted a field survey at Ban Don Talai, Moo 6, Bang Luang Subdistrict, Sapphaya District, Chainat Province to organize a demonstration on crop-cutting in wet season rice (irrigated paddy fields). Additionally, a visit to a rain-fed paddy field outside the irrigation area at the Development of Agricultural Learning Center (ALC) in Nong Ma Mong District, Chainat Province.
On 8th December, a wrap-up meeting was held to review and summarize key findings from the field visit. Additionally, a discussion session was conducted to enhance understanding of the methodology for rice crop cutting and sampling survey.
The site visits were successfully ended with a great collaboration among the officials of ROAE 7, representatives from RESTEC, farmers, and AFSIS Secretariat. The knowledge imparted from this event will be used as supportive information and development for a pilot study on the development of rice yield forecasting methods using a satellite Meteorological Information project.
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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.
