Jakarta: Indonesia’s free-meals programme will open 480 new kitchens in October, with most facilities planned for remote and disadvantaged areas where childhood stunting remains high.
The National Nutrition Agency (NNA) will establish 269 kitchens across 16 provinces in eastern Indonesia. The locations include Gorontalo, Maluku and several provinces on Papua island. Another 211 kitchens will be opened in other parts of the country.
The programme was launched in 2025 as a key campaign pledge of President Prabowo Subianto. The scheme aims to provide meals to 83 million schoolchildren and expectant mothers as part of efforts to tackle under-nutrition.
However, the programme has faced several difficulties since its launch. The initiative was hit by corruption allegations and more than 50,000 reported cases of food poisoning. Some privately operated kitchens have also been closed.
Sudaryono, NNA head stated that the new kitchens will be activated from October 2. Staff will receive training as operations begin. The number of meals provided is expected to increase throughout October as the facilities become fully operational.
Owners of the new kitchens are expected to start receiving government payments once facilities are activated. However, details of the payment arrangements remain unclear.
The NNA noted that the remote areas will receive greater attention after the programme’s budget for this year was reduced to 229 trillion rupiah ($12.8 billion) from 335 trillion rupiah. The allocation for 2027 stands at 240 trillion rupiah ($13.4 billion).
The expansion also comes as existing kitchen operators in remote areas face financial difficulties. Some kitchens have remained unused for months.
The new facilities are therefore intended to extend the programme into areas that faces greater nutritional challenges. The government will need to train kitchen staff and increase meal production as the 480 new kitchens begin operations throughout October.
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