Jakarta (VNA) - Indonesia’s National Food Agency (Bapanas) and state-owned food holding ID Food have distributed 8.4 million food aid packages to 1.44 million children in seven provinces to eradicate stunting, reported the national news agency Antara.
The aid was distributed in stages, with the target of helping resolve stunting-related issues in seven provinces, the agency's main secretary, Sarwo Edhy, said during the appreciation night for the Government Food Assistance Distribution Programme on October 17.
The seven provinces that received the food aid include North Sumatra, Banten, West Java, Central Java, East Java, West Sulawesi, and East Nusa Tenggara.
"If we can resolve (stunting) in those seven countries, we can resolve around 60 percent of the stunting rate," Edhy said as quoted by Antara.
According to the Indonesian Health Survey (SKI), stunting prevalence declined 0.1 percent in 2023 to 21.5 percent from 21.6 percent in 2022.
According to the Bapanas, the government's food reserve distribution programme for stunting eradication, which has been running since 2023, has also contributed to the empowerment of local chicken and egg farmers./.
