From 21–30 September 2025, the AFSIS Secretariat, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA), the Korea Rural Community Corporation (KRC), the Korea Agency of Education, Promotion and Information Service in Food, Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (EPIS), and EGIS Co., Ltd., successfully hosted the Invitational Workshop on the Project for Establishing a Real-Time ASEAN Food Security Information System and Development of Human Resources. The event took place in Seoul, the Republic of Korea, bringing together representatives from 5 target countries: Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, the Philippines, and Vietnam.
The workshop aimed to share the progress of the Real-Time AFSIS Project (Phase 3) currently implemented in Cambodia, as well as to enhance the capacity of participants in utilizing agricultural statistics, information and communication technology (ICT), and forecasting models for food security. In addition, the workshop served as a platform for ASEAN member states to present country reports and action plans to strengthen agricultural data management and food security frameworks in the ASEAN region.
The opening session was honored by the presence of distinguished representatives including:
On this occasion, Dr. Sumanya Ngandee, AFSIS Manager, delivered the opening remarks and presented the current progress and future work plan of AFSIS.
Throughout the workshop, participants had opportunities to gain knowledge through lectures, discussions, and field visits to key agricultural and technological institutions in Korea, including the Agriculture Science Officer of the Rural Development Administration, the Gimje Agricultural Technology Center, and the Agriculture Expo at the aT Center. These activities allowed participants to learn about advanced technologies, Smart Agriculture, and the application of Geospatial Information Technologies for agricultural development in Korea.
The workshop concluded with participants presenting their action plans and country reports, which reflected their commitment to utilizing the National Agricultural Information System (NAIS) and applying lessons learned to enhancing food security management in their respective countries.
This workshop has further strengthened regional cooperation and knowledge exchange, paving the way for sustainable development of food security information systems across the ASEAN region.
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.
