On 21–22 May 2025, the ASEAN Food Security Information System (AFSIS) Secretariat, with support from Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), convened The Regional Workshop on Emergency Information Sharing and Additional Commodity under the SAFER Project (Strengthening ASEAN Food Security Information System Function for Emergency). The workshop was held at the Pattaya Discovery Beach Hotel in Chonburi, Thailand.
The event was honored by the presence of Mr. Vinit Atisook, Deputy Secretary General of the Office of Agricultural Economics (OAE), Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MOAC), Thailand, and Mr. Masahiro Hosaka, Deputy Director of the Statistics Planning Division, Statistics Department, MAFF, Japan, who delivered the opening remarks. Dr. Sumanya Ngandee, AFSIS Manager, also welcomed participants with a keynote address.
A total of 28 participants from ASEAN Plus Three countries, along with representatives from the ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR) Secretariat, attended the workshop in person.
The workshop focused on two critical outputs:
1. Strengthening Emergency Information-Sharing Mechanisms: Discussions aimed to establish a structured, unified protocol for the timely and accurate sharing of agricultural disaster impact data.
2. Expanding the Scope of Target Commodities: Participants explored standardized definitions and methodologies for new target commodities, such as laying hens, to be included in AFSIS’s core reports and statistical databases.
These efforts are not only technical necessities—they form the foundation of a robust, credible, and integrated food security information system that meets the evolving needs of the region.
Additionally, participants had the opportunity to learn about the procedures of emergency information sharing and an overview of the disaster platform and crop drought monitoring operated by the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA), Thailand. Moreover, this meeting got the honor from the Chonburi Provincial Agricultural Extension Office to present "The Overview of Disaster Data Collection Procedures in Thailand"
The workshop concluded with a field visit to GISTDA’s facility in Sriracha, Chonburi Province, where participants gained valuable insights into disaster reporting and practical knowledge. This workshop concluded successfully, with participants expressing gratitude to the AFSIS Secretariat and MAFF of Japan for their organization and support in strengthening food security information systems.
On 18 February 2026, the AFSIS Secretariat participated in the international event Google’s “Impact of AI on Global Agriculture,” organized by Google.org at Roseate House, Aerocity, New Delhi, India.
On 12-13 February 2026, the AFSIS Secretariat, in collaboration with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the Remote Sensing Technology Center of Japan (RESTEC), Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) Japan and the Office of Agricultural Economics (OAE), Ministry of Agriculture Cooperatives (MOAC), conducted a workshop conducted a workshop The Promoting Rice Planted Area and Production Estimation Using INAHOR and Space-based Technologies in Thailand at the Meeting Room 2, Innovation Building, 3rd FL, Office of Agricultural Economics (OAE)
The In-Country Workshop on Promoting Rice Planted Area and Production Estimation Using Space-based Technologies in Lao PDR was jointly organized by AFSIS Secretariat, JAXA, MAFF Japan, and MAE Lao PDR under the AFSIS-GIS and SAFE projects. The event was held in Vientiane with hands-on training on 9 February 2026 and a workshop on 10 February 2026.
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On 13–15 January 2026, the Office of Agricultural Economics (OAE), Thailand, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), Japan, and the AFSIS Secretariat, conducted the 1st Meeting of Japan–Thailand Expert Dialogue on Agricultural Statistics. The meeting was held at the Office of Agricultural Economics and field survey activities in Chonburi Province.
