Developing a comprehensive food availability vulnerability index (FAVI) to address food security challenges in the asean region

Food security remains a major global challenge, particularly in Southeast Asia, where climate change, population growth, and economic volatility threaten food system stability. This study aims to develop and validate a Comprehensive Food Availability Vulnerability Index (FAVI) as a practical tool to assess and compare regional vulnerabilities in food availability across ASEAN countries. FAVI is constructed using four key dimensions: production adequacy, food reserves, import dependency, and distribution efficiency. Each dimension is quantified, normalized, and weighted to generate a composite score that reflects the resilience and exposure of national food systems to supply disruptions. The index is applied to five ASEAN countries, i.e., Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, and Singapore revealing differentiated vulnerability patterns. Singapore records the highest vulnerability score (0.71), largely due to its structural dependence on food imports and limited natural resource endowment. The Philippines shows moderate vulnerability (0.43), associated with distribution inefficiencies and production instability. Indonesia ranks at a mid-level (0.29), with logistical constraints related to its archipelagic geography influencing performance. In contrast, Vietnam (0.17) and Thailand (0.13) demonstrate lower vulnerability, supported by strong domestic production capacity and substantial reserves. FAVI results align closely with the Global Food Security Index (GFSI), reinforcing the index’s validity. The study demonstrates that FAVI provides a robust, data-driven framework for identifying country-specific risks and guiding strategic policy interventions to strengthen food availability resilience in ASEAN and comparable regions.