On 18–19 November 2025, in Cebu City, the Republic of the Philippines, the ASEAN Food Security Information System (AFSIS) Secretariat, represented by Mr. Charapon Chantorn, Deputy AFSIS Manager, participated in the 31st Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF-31). The Forum serves as a key platform for promoting regional cooperation in space technology throughout the Asia-Pacific region. It was co-organized by the Philippines Space Agency (PhilSA), the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) of Japan, and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
The APRSAF-31 aimed to strengthen international collaboration on the utilization of space technologies to enhance economic and social benefits, as well as to highlight the role of space applications as an essential driver of sustainable development.
During the Meeting, Mr. Charapon joined the Satellite Applications for Societal Benefit Working Group (SAWG) and delivered a presentation on “Satellite Data and AI Technology for Crop Area Estimation and Growth Condition Monitoring under the AFSIS" the presentation highlighted on the application of satellite data and remote sensing technology in producing the Rice Growing Outlook (RGO) and Maize Growing Outlook (MGO), as well as the use of the INAHOR system for estimating rice planted areas, is an essential tool for monitoring agricultural production across Southeast Asia.
He also emphasized AFSIS’s efforts in capacity building through training programs on the use of the JASMAI and INAHOR systems, aimed at enhancing the ability of ASEAN member state officers to utilize satellite data for agricultural planning and decision-making.
In addition, Mr. Charapon presented updates on AFSIS’s new initiative supported by MAFF of Japan, the Project for ASEAN Food Security Information System – Geospatial Informatization Support (AFSIS-GIS Project), which will be implemented over the next three years (2025-2028) to strengthen further geospatial applications within ASEAN’s food security information systems.
The APRSAF-31 underscored the importance of regional cooperation, knowledge exchange, and joint capacity enhancement to advance sustainable food security across ASEAN member states.
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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.
