On 23-24 June 2025, the ASEAN Food Security Information System (AFSIS) Secretariat, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF-Japan), the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the Remote Sensing Technology Center of Japan (RESTEC), and the Settlement and Land Records (SLRD), Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation (MOALI) of Myanmar, successfully held a workshop titled "Promote Rice Planted Area and Production Estimation Using Space-Based Technologies in Myanmar" at Nay Pyi Taw,
The opening session featured remarks from Dr. Win Htut, Director General, SLRD, MOALI, and Dr.Sumanya Ngandee, AFSIS Manager
This workshop aimed to strengthen the technical capabilities of SLRD officials and regional offices in utilizing satellite remote sensing data, particularly from the ALOS-2 and Sentinel-2 satellites, to accurately assess rice cultivation areas and estimate rice production. These activities show the part of an ongoing effort to enhance agricultural monitoring through the Inter-national Asian Harvest mOnitoring system for Rice (INAHOR) system.
With active participation and cooperation from all attendees, the workshop concluded successfully. The outcomes are expected to significantly enhance the precision of agricultural statistical data collection and support in-country operations under the SAFER 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.
