The AFSIS Secretariat participated in the 10th International Conference on Agricultural Statistics (ICAS X), held from 8 to 10 July 2026 at the ICE Krakow Congress Centre in Krakow, Poland. Jointly organized by Statistics Poland, Eurostat, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the World Bank Group, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). ICAS X serves as a global platform for sharing best practices, research, and innovative approaches to address the evolving needs of agricultural statistics. The conference brought together producers and users of agricultural data from around the world to exchange experiences and explore the latest methodological developments in agricultural statistics.

On this occasion, Dr. Sumanya Ngandee, AFSIS Manager, was invited to deliver a presentation entitled "Overview of the ASEAN Food Security Information System (AFSIS): Two Decades of Regional Cooperation and the Integration of Satellite Technology" under the session "Enhancing Regional Cooperation: The Case of Rice Statistics Development in Southeast Asia through AFSIS and Satellite Technology". During the presentation, Dr. Sumanya highlighted the vital role of the AFSIS Secretariat as a regional mechanism for collecting, analyzing, and disseminating food security information across ASEAN. She also showcased more than two decades of successful collaboration between the AFSIS Secretariat and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) of Japan in strengthening agricultural statistics and food security information systems throughout the region.

The presentation further emphasized the introduction of satellite technology and the INAHOR system for estimating rice cultivation areas and enhancing agricultural monitoring. These initiatives have strengthened the capacity of ASEAN Member States to utilize geospatial technologies, contributing to the development of an efficient and reliable agricultural information system that supports food security across the ASEAN region. The session also featured a presentation on A Satellite-Based Rice Planted Area Estimation Tool Using Synthetic Aperture Radar from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, INAHOR activities in Lao PDR and Vietnam, and the future vision of MAFF Japan for ASEAN food security cooperation with the AFSIS Secretariat.

The conference concluded successfully, reaffirming the importance of international collaboration in advancing agricultural statistics and strengthening food security through innovation and knowledge sharing. AFSIS' participation reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening regional cooperation and promoting the use of advanced technologies to support sustainable agricultural development and food security in the ASEAN region.