On 18 January 2024, AFSIS Secretariat had an opportunity to introduce AFSIS and discuss with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and, the Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (FAORAP) regarding the FAO work in Food and Agriculture Statistics and future cooperation
In the meeting, Ms. Sangita Dubey, Regional Statistician of FAORAP informed about the FAO work in Food and Agriculture Statistics which are 1) the activities that are currently being carried out under the supervision of FAORAP such as the SDGs indicator, Data Innovation, and Food Security, Nutrition and Consumption Survey, 2) Global Databases,3) Analytical Publication and 4) Capacity Development activities.
Dr. Sumaya Ngandee, AFSIS Manager, presented on the implementation of AFSIS in cooperation projects from ASEAN plus three countries and international organizations, activities between AFSIS and FAO in the past to present, and the AFSIS future work plan.The meeting went well and AFSIS will take FAORAP's comments and suggestions into consideration in deciding on future ways of cooperation to strengthen our goal together.
In addition, FAORAP appreciated a strong collaboration between FAORAP, AFSIS Secretariat, and Thai Government to strengthen food security information in ASEAN region and develop capacity building in ASEAN member countries. AFSIS looks forward to cooperating in food security information, agriculture statistics, and technologies in the future.
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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.
