This article was originally published in The Jakarta Post Special Issue on October 18, 2024
Among President Prabowo Subianto’s campaign programs, the free nutritious meal program has garnered the most attention. Set to begin on Jan. 2, 2025, this program will not be the first of its kind. According to the 2022 World Food Program (WFP) report, globally, around 41 percent of primary school students had access to free or subsidized meals daily.
The program is linked to Indonesia’s effort to promote human resource development, which found mixed results in recent years. Stunting rates lowered from 31.4 percent in 2018 to 26 percent in 2022. Yet, Indonesia’s Human Development Index, though considered “high” at 0.713, was ranked 112 out of 193 countries in 2023. The 2022 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) results showed how far Indonesia lags behind its peers in education outcomes, especially in reading and mathematics.
The new free nutritious meal program has two main objectives: improving child nutrition and boosting educational outcomes, which are strongly linked to better overall human development and economic growth.
However, while the free meals program’s multi-objectives—improving child nutrition, educational outcomes, and supporting local agriculture—are commendable, other trade-offs should be recognized. For instance, ensuring nutritional food might require imports, conflicting with the local agricultural support goal and echoing the classic food security vs. self-sufficiency debate.
The 2019 Food and Agriculture Organization report on school meals in 33 low and middle-income countries found that half of the school meal programs focused on nutrition, only half also aimed to support agriculture. Further, these programs' impacts are uneven across countries.
For Indonesia, while the free meals program has clear immediate benefits for child nutrition, it is critical to also recognize long-term challenges. One of the challenges is financing the program's objective.
Second, while the free meals program’s multi-objectives – improving child nutrition, educational outcomes and supporting local agriculture – are commendable, their trade-offs should be recognized. For instance, ensuring nutritional food might require imports, conflicting with the local agricultural support goal, echoing the classic food security vs. self-sufficiency debate.
Domestic price transmission are relationships, including with existing agencies like the National Food Agency (Bapanas), State Logistics Agency (Bulog), Agriculture Ministry, the Education, Culture, Research and Technology Ministry, the Office of the Coordinating Human Development and Culture Minister, as well as partnerships with international and domestic stakeholders.
The costs and risks associated with financing and implementing these programs must not be underestimated. For example, the 2025 program is projected to cost Rp 43.8 trillion (US$2.8 billion). Funding sources will need to be carefully analyzed, and policy responses must account for essential and climate challenges, such as the impact of food price volatility, climate-driven nutrition deficiencies, micronutrient deficiencies, and macroeconomic factors.
The Food Security Coalition has initiated partnerships with multinational companies and domestic stakeholders to ensure long-term food security for Indonesia's most vulnerable groups. This program aims to cover the short-term nutrition gaps and help stabilize local agricultural production. The international partners include FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) and UNICEF, while the local partnerships include the National Logistics Agency (Bulog) and state-owned food companies.
In summary, the free nutritious meal program is crucial, but it is only one step towards a broader effort to ensure Indonesia’s long-term food security and human development.
About the Author:
Senior lecturer in agribusiness at the School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability at the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia, and a member of the board of directors at the Center for Indonesian Policy Studies. The column reflects her personal opinions from information and ideas from many parties.
Image Source: Seketaris Kabinet Republik Indonesia