Indonesia kicks off ambitious $45b free meal plan

Indonesia has launched a transformative free meal program aimed at tackling malnutrition and supporting vulnerable populations. Championed by President Prabowo Subianto, the program aims to provide nutritious meals to nearly 83 million Indonesians by 2029, with an initial focus on school-aged children and pregnant women.

However, logistical challenges, budget constraints, and feedback from both beneficiaries and experts have highlighted the complexities of implementing such a large-scale program. The program began this week, distributing 570,000 meals on its first day. Mutiara Khairunnisa, a high school student in Jakarta, was among the first beneficiaries. She stated that the program is beneficial to her because she no longer needs to bring her own lunch, and the meals provided are healthy, while also aiming to help undernourished children.

Khairunnisa praised the variety of the meals, which included chicken, fish, and tofu, but also pointed out areas for improvement. She mentioned that sometimes the vegetables, like stir-fried green beans, were not fresh when served, and the fish was very fishy, especially when cooked as a health food, because no MSG was added. Katarina Yenni Indratno, the principal of an elementary school in East Jakarta, stated that the response from families and students has been positive. She noted that children often do not bring food from home because their parents have low incomes and little pocket money, and that the program provides them with sufficient nutrition.

Community nutritionist Tan Siau Yan said it is important to adapt the program to regional dietary habits. She pointed out that the staple food does not have to be rice, as children in Papua do not eat rice, making rice cultivation in the region pointless, and suggested alternatives such as sago, papaya, or bananas for different regions. Dr. Tan also expressed concern about the quality of food that might be provided under budget constraints. She emphasized the need to source ingredients from local farmers to support regional economies and ensure freshness, as the cost per meal has already been reduced from $2.40 to $1.60. She warned that the program would be pointless if it relied on sponsors and provided low-quality food.

Public policy analyst Agus Pambagio stated that he supports the program but believes it is not well thought out. He is concerned about the program's lack of precise planning and its difficulty in being sustained due to the involvement of numerous institutions, many target areas, and issues like manpower shortages and limited budgets. The program is projected to cost $45 billion over five years, which critics argue could strain Indonesia's fiscal health. However, President Prabowo views the program as a strategic investment aimed at reducing childhood malnutrition and stimulating economic growth in rural areas. He stated that the program is critical to addressing the 21.5% stunting rate among children under five and can be implemented with fiscal prudence. To alleviate budget concerns, President Prabowo capped the first year's spending at 71 trillion rupiah ($7 billion) to keep the annual fiscal deficit below the statutory 3% of GDP. Economist Elisa Mardian warned that the program could worsen Indonesia's external balance of payments if it requires more imported food, as Indonesia is already a major importer of wheat, rice, soybeans, beef, and dairy products. On the other hand, President Prabowo has called the program a major driver of economic growth, ultimately adding about 2.5 million jobs and stimulating demand for local agricultural products. The government plans to integrate nearly 2,000 cooperatives and involve local farmers in the procurement of eggs, vegetables, rice, fish, and meat.

Dr. Tan emphasized that the program must be viewed as a long-term initiative with comprehensive planning and evaluation. She stated that trials should not be conducted in major cities, as this does not reflect the demographics of Indonesian children. She stressed that the program must be taken seriously, requiring thorough planning and evaluation, and pointed out that trials conducted in large cities do not reflect the overall situation of Indonesian children.