AFSIS

The Meeting for Discussion on Joint Understanding of the 22nd AFSIS Focal Point Meeting for the Sustainability of AFSIS

Update by Webadmin 2024-07-26 02:52:21

On 12 July 2024, the AFSIS Secretariat convened an online meeting to discuss the draft Joint Understanding of the 22^ndAFSIS Focal Point Meeting, marking a significant step towards ensuring the sustainability of the Agricultural and Food Security Information System (AFSIS). They were chaired by Datuk Azah Hanim Ahmad, Deputy Secretary General (Policy) Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security of Malaysia. The meeting gathered AFSIS Focal Points from ASEAN plus Three countries along with representatives from the ASEAN secretariat and AFSIS secretariat.

This Meeting was a continuous session from the 22^nd AFSIS Focal Point Meeting held in Putrajaya, Malaysia, on 11-12 June 2024, for deliberations on the draft of the Joint Understanding of the 22^nd AFSIS Focal Point Meeting for the Sustainability of AFSIS, The Meeting aimed to discuss and consider the Joint Understanding document.

The meeting reached a consensus on the Joint Understanding document as a working principle of AFSIS.

The outcomes led ASEAN member states towards the next phase in establishing AFSIS as a sustainable organization, furthering our efforts to enhance food security in the ASEAN region in the near future.

AFSIS secretariat will present this outcome to the Senior Officials' Meeting of the 23^r^d Special ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry (Special SOM-23^rd AMAF Plus Three), scheduled for 6-8 August 2024. This presentation marks the critical role and functions of AFSIS, which are very valuable for moving AFSIS and its activities toward sustainability in the future.

The AFSIS Secretariat remains committed to fostering collaboration among member states and stakeholders, ensuring robust support for sustainable agricultural development across the ASEAN plus Three regions.

Assessing Food Security in ASEAN through Self-Sufficiency Ratios: A Comparative Analysis of Major Agricultural Commodities

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.

ASEAN Food Security Information on the Self-Sufficiency Ratio (SSR) for Rice

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.

Asia and the Pacific Food Systems Forum 2026

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.

The 14th Meeting of the APTERR Council, Siem Reap, Cambodia

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.