On 30 June 2025, the ASEAN Food Security Information System (AFSIS) Secretariat, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan (MAFF-Japan), successfully organized the Online Workshop on the Maize Growing Outlook (MGO) Preparation Guideline under the Project for Strengthening ASEAN Food Security Information System Function for Emergency (SAFER) via Zoom Meeting.
The workshop was officially opened with welcoming remarks from Dr. Sumanya Ngandee, AFSIS Manager, who emphasized the importance of enhancing regional collaboration and capacity building in the Growing Outlook Reports.
A total of 35 participants from ASEAN Plus Three Countries joined the session, including representatives directly involved in the development of the Growing Outlook Reports.
This interactive workshop aimed to strengthen the participants’ understanding of the key components and recommended steps in preparing the MGO report. Topics included Maize basic crop science and MGO definition, Relationship between maize growth and weather conditions, Crop situation index of maizeand example of MGO writing structure
The event also served as a vital preparatory step for the upcoming on-the-job training (OJT) activities scheduled between July and September 2025, which will further support the development of national outlooks across the region.
The workshop concluded successfully and is expected to contribute significantly to enhancing food security information systems in the region.
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On 5–6 March 2026, the AFSIS Secretariat participated in the 14th Meeting of the ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR) Council via video conference, hosted by the Kingdom of Cambodia. The meeting brought together representatives from ASEAN Plus Three countries, the ASEAN Secretariat, the ASEAN Food Security Reserve Board (AFSRB), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the APTERR Secretariat, and the AFSIS Secretariat to discuss key issues related to regional food security and emergency rice reserves.
On 18 February 2026, the AFSIS Secretariat participated in the international event Google’s “Impact of AI on Global Agriculture,” organized by Google.org at Roseate House, Aerocity, New Delhi, India.
On 12-13 February 2026, the AFSIS Secretariat, in collaboration with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the Remote Sensing Technology Center of Japan (RESTEC), Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) Japan and the Office of Agricultural Economics (OAE), Ministry of Agriculture Cooperatives (MOAC), conducted a workshop conducted a workshop The Promoting Rice Planted Area and Production Estimation Using INAHOR and Space-based Technologies in Thailand at the Meeting Room 2, Innovation Building, 3rd FL, Office of Agricultural Economics (OAE)
The In-Country Workshop on Promoting Rice Planted Area and Production Estimation Using Space-based Technologies in Lao PDR was jointly organized by AFSIS Secretariat, JAXA, MAFF Japan, and MAE Lao PDR under the AFSIS-GIS and SAFE projects. The event was held in Vientiane with hands-on training on 9 February 2026 and a workshop on 10 February 2026.
