On 28 June 2024, the AFSIS Secretariat was invited to join a significant meeting with the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) and the ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR) Secretariat. The meetings aimed to discuss potential collaboration for exploring the LRBFR and to learn from their experiences over more than 10 years of operating the regional emergency rice reserve and the food security-related information-sharing system. which collaborative by Representatives from the Office of Agricultural Economics (OAE) of Thailand also participated in the discussion.
The meeting was structured into 4 main sessions:
ERIA Presentation: Mr.Masanori Kozono, Senior Policy Fellow of ERIA provided a concise overview of the study's background, objectives,the team involved, and the expected outcomes. During his presentation, he emphasized the need for guidance and support from ASEAN Member States, and the APTERR and AFSIS secretariat. Following this, Prof. Achmad Suryana presented the outline of the country study, underscoring the importance of learning from national experiences with the APTERR Mechanism and food reserve systems at the country level.
APTERR Presentation: Dr. Choomjet Karnjanakesorn APTERR manager discussed their activities, including the disbursement mechanisms for rice reserves (Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3), financial needs for operations, strategies for the quick release of emergency food reserves and Food Emergency Monitoring and Information (FEMI) that cooperate utilize data from AFSIS
AFSIS Presentation: Dr. Sumanya Ngandee, AFSIS Manager, provided an overview of AFSIS operations, highlighting its role in enhancing food security information across ASEAN Plus Three countries. She discussed AFSIS mechanisms, its contributions to the ASEAN Integrated Food Security Framework (AIFS) and the Strategic Plan of Action on Food Security in the ASEAN Region (SPA-FS) 2021-2025, Moreover, she presented the progress of the establishment of a permanent mechanism for the sustainability of AFSIS.
Ms. Pasinee Napombejra, an expert on Public Sector Development from the Office of Agricultural Economics (OAE), presentation on the Provincial Crops Calendar for Food Security and Nutrition, during the session. The presentation highlighted the current situation in Thailand and introduced the OAE statistical database
Following the meeting, the ERIA team acknowledged the pivotal role of AFSIS and appreciated its comprehensive activities, recognizing their potential for further development and benefit to the ASEAN Member States. They expressed eagerness for continued collaboration with AFSIS and the other organizations involved.
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.
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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.
