Jakarta (VNA) - Indonesia plans to expand its free meal programme, an initiative of President-elect Prabowo Subianto that is set to be implemented in 2025, to benefit not only school children but also pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and toddlers, an official has said.
Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said on August 27 that the Government agrees with the viewpoint that the free meal programme should also target pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and toddlers.
The scheme aims to improve nutritional adequacy, enhance cognitive development in children, and prevent stunting, she added, highlighting the Government's ongoing efforts to reduce the prevalence of stunting, which has decreased from 37.2% 2013 to 21.5% in 2023.
The official said targeted interventions in 12 priority provinces focus on the prevention aspect, particularly during the critical first 1,000 days of life.
At the recent annual plenary meeting of the House of Representatives, Indonesian President Joko Widodo also emphasised the role of the free meal programme in accelerating economic growth, strengthening welfare, and promoting regional equality.
He said that it is designed to improve children's nutrition while empowering micro, small, and medium enterprises and boosting the economies of local communities./.
