Non-Aligned Movement has urged its Member States to formulate policies aimed at eradicating hunger and eliminating malnutrition, particularly undernourishment, stunting, wasting, underweight and overweight in children under 5 years of age and anaemia in women and children, among other micronutrient deficiency. In line with this commitment, Indonesia has launched a transformative free meal program designed to combat malnutrition and support underprivileged communities.
The objectives of the program are: 1) Combating malnutrition and address the stunting rate, which currently affects 21.5% of Indonesian children under five; and 2) Enhance the income of local farmers by sourcing food locally and contribute to the national GDP growth target of 8%.
One of the major promised policy objectives of President Prabowo Subianto, the initiative aims to provide nutritious meals to almost 83 million Indonesians by 2029, focusing initially on school children and pregnant women. The implementation of the Plan has been entrusted to the National Nutritional Agency (BGN). The Indonesian President has described the Plan as strategic in countering child malnutrition and spurring growth in Indonesia’s economy at regional level. It is estimated to cost Rp 71 trillion ($4.39 billion) in its first stage this year, providing meals for 15 million people. This has been done to ensure that the annual fiscal deficit remains within the legal limit of 3% of GDP. He emphasized that the program was crucial to address the stunted growth affecting 21.5% of children under five in Indonesia and assured it could be implemented responsibly within the fiscal framework.
The government’s target is to reach an initial 19.5 million schoolchildren and pregnant women in 2025 with a budget of 71 trillion rupiah ($4.3 billion) so as to keep the annual deficit under a legislated ceiling of 3% of GDP, said Dadan Hindayana, the head of the newly formed National Nutrition Agency. Hindayana said the money would buy an estimated 6.7 million tons of rice, 1.2 million tons of chicken, 500,000 tons of beef, 1 million tons of fish, vegetable and fruit, and 4 million kiloliters of milk. “We will send a team to each school to facilitate the meal distribution to students every day,” Hindayana said, adding that the program will provide one meal per day for each student from early childhood education to senior high school, covering a third of the daily caloric needs for children, with the government providing the meals at no cost to recipients. Nearly 2,000 cooperatives will be involved in the free meals program by providing eggs, vegetables, rice, fish, meat, milk and other food, Cooperative Minister Budi Arie Setiadi said.
The Free Nutritious Meal program, while ambitious and well-intentioned, has faced notable challenges and criticisms regarding its economic feasibility and logistical execution. Critics have expressed concerns about the affordability of the program, considering its substantial projected cost of $28 billion over five years. This financial commitment raises questions about its potential strain on Indonesia’s fiscal health, with some observers sceptical about the government’s ability to sustain such an initiative without impacting other essential programs. In addition to economic concerns, the program also grapples with significant logistical hurdles. The large-scale nature of the initiative requires the efficient preparation and distribution of meals across a vast and diverse archipelago, which includes remote and underserved regions. Ensuring the consistent quality and nutritional value of meals while overcoming transportation and infrastructure challenges adds another layer of complexity.
Despite these hurdles, the program represents a bold attempt by the Indonesian government to address public health concerns such as malnutrition and stunting, which remain alarmingly prevalent. By aiming to boost local agricultural production and improve child health outcomes, the initiative seeks to balance its lofty goals with fiscal prudence and operational efficiency, though doubts about its long-term sustainability persist among experts and stakeholders.
