Indonesia kicks off first free meal programme for children, pregnant women

With 570, 000 mouths to feed on its opening day, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto’s ambitious multibillion-dollar program, which will cost more than a quarter of his people, is officially underway.

The initiative was launched with little fanfare on Monday, with no official launch and only 190 kitchens participating in the preparation of the first meals for schoolchildren and pregnant women in more than 20 provinces, according to officials. It was the centerpiece of an election campaign that brought Prabowo to power last year.

The free meal plan will be a Herculean logistical effort when in full swing, with a target by 2029 of reaching 82.9 million of the country’s 280 million population.

Prabowo’s signature policy has been controversial, however, with previous estimates of its cost of $28bn over five years triggering concern among some economists that it could dent Indonesia’s hard-won reputation for fiscal prudence.

Prabowo has defended the program, and he described it as being effective in promoting regional growth and reducing child malnutrition last month. It is estimated to cost 71 trillion rupiah ($4.39bn) in its first stage this year, providing meals for 15 million people.

At an elementary school in West Jakarta, staff carried food trays to class and students picked them up one by one, finding rice, fried chicken, fried tofu, beans, and an orange.

Hana Yohana, a parent of a first grader, said she hoped the programme continues as it made her morning routine easier.

“Thank God, this helps us. We normally had to work hard preparing food every morning, and now we don’t”, she said.

The government and the military have been conducting pilot programs where they distribute trays of food, including rice, chicken, and milk, to the military and the government.

Source: Aljazeera