Indonesia is set to launch thousands of kitchens nationwide next year as part of President-elect Prabowo Subianto’s multi-billion dollar free meal program, the head of the implementing agency announced on Tuesday.
Prabowo, who will assume office as Indonesia’s president on October 20, plans to provide meals to approximately 20 million students starting January at an estimated cost of 71 trillion rupiah.
Once fully operational, the initiative aims to combat malnutrition and will eventually serve meal to 83 million people, including pregnant women, with an annual cost of around $28 billion.
Dadan Hindayana, the head of the national nutrition agency, revealed at an investment forum that 5,000 kitchens, known as “service units,” will be established next year, with the number expected to increase to 30,000 by 2027.
“These units will not only function as kitchens but will also serve as buyers for local agricultural products,” Dadan said, noting that the initiative is expected to generate over one million new jobs.
According to agency data and media calculations, the program’s demand for meal next year includes 312,000 metric tonnes of rice, 546,000 metric tonnes of chicken or 4.68 billion eggs, 936 million litres of milk, and 546,000 metric tonnes of vegetables for six days a week.
Each kitchen will cater to 3,000 children daily, consuming 200 kg of rice, 350 kg of chicken or 3,000 eggs, 600 litres of milk, and 350 kg of vegetables. The agency will prioritize sourcing food from local farmers and adapt the menus based on food availability, Dadan added.
Dadan emphasized that the free meals program is part of a broader strategy to enhance food security, support local agricultural production, and reduce dependency on imports. He highlighted that the initiative would directly benefit small-scale farmers and help stabilize commodity prices by creating a consistent demand for local produce.
The kitchens, which will initially be set up in urban and rural areas with high malnutrition rates, are designed to be scalable and flexible. The units will not only provide daily meals but also educate communities on nutrition and healthy eating habits. “We aim to address the root causes of malnutrition, which include limited access to nutritious food and lack of awareness,” Dadan said.
The initiative has drawn significant interest from both domestic and international investors, who view it as an opportunity to contribute to social welfare while fostering economic growth. The government is also seeking partnerships with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and private entities to ensure the sustainability of the program.
