On 22–23 October 2025, the ASEAN Food Security Information System (AFSIS) Secretariat, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) of Japan, successfully convened The AFSIS Special Workshop in Tokyo, Japan.
The meeting includes the representatives from the 10 ASEAN Member States and the Plus Three countries People’s Republic of China, Republic of Korea, and Japan participated in the Workshop. In addition, representatives from relevant organizations such as Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations(FAO) the Remote Sensing Technology Center of Japan (RESTEC) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) also attended the event.
The main objectives of the Workshop were to present the achievements of the Strengthening ASEAN Food Security Information System Function for Emergency (SAFER) Project, introduce the implementation plan of the AFSIS-GIS Project (2025–2028) supported by MAFF Japan, and discuss strategies to strengthen AFSIS’s operational and financial sustainability. The Workshop also served as a platform for participants to deliberate on possible future cooperation frameworks and approaches to enhance AFSIS’s long-term stability.
On this occasion, Dr. Sumanya Ngandee, AFSIS Manager, delivered the welcome remarks and presented the recent progress of AFSIS activities, the 2025 work plan, and the proposed directions to ensure the organization’s sustainability in the future.
Furthermore, the Workshop provided an opportunity for representatives from ASEAN and Plus Three countries to exchange views on the financial mechanisms and sustainability of AFSIS, considering the needs of each member country and potential approaches to broaden AFSIS’s funding base toward becoming a permanent mechanism.
The Workshop concluded with active participation and constructive discussions from all representatives. All participating countries expressed their shared recognition of the importance of AFSIS in strengthening regional food security and statistical cooperation. No country raised objections regarding the significance of AFSIS or the proposed directions for its short-term and long-term sustainability. It was emphasized that the sustainability of AFSIS involves not only financial aspects but also continuous technical collaboration, capacity building, and strong partnerships among ASEAN+3.
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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.
