Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI
Jakarta (Agenzia Fides) – “I hear mostly positive things about the nutrition and free meals program for children, launched by the Indonesian government last January, in various parts of Indonesia. It is having an impact on children’s nutrition, and even Catholic schools and our seminaries have benefited,” says Father Alfonsus Widhiwiryawan Sx, National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) in Indonesia and local Xaverian missionary, in an interview with Fides, during a public debate in the country on the program launched by President Propbowo Subianto. “Of course,” the priest continues, “one must always differentiate and consider the local situation in the various regions, given the vastness and diversity of the regions that make up Indonesia. But in general, one can say that we can observe a positive impact, especially in the poorest regions such as Papua and Borneo, where the problem of food security for children in indigenous communities is particularly serious,” emphasizes Father Widhiwiryawan, who, in his role as National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies, has the opportunity to travel to dioceses of the archipelago and assess the situation firsthand. “The implementation of the program,” he notes, “is carried out by the provincial governments and the organization of the kitchens. This is another aspect to consider, and one that is multifaceted. In addition, in the implementation of the program, certain schools are selected and given priority according to established criteria. I can say that I have also observed positive comments and reactions in Catholic parishes and schools because it is a tool in the educational process,” he notes. “Some teachers and people working in the education sector,” he says, “report that the program is more than just a gesture of charity, as it contributes to educational results: Improving children’s nutrition leads to increased performance and learning results, which clearly correlate with better overall human development,” he emphasizes. Locally, the government program is supported by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), which leads a coalition of international partners. These partners, who also share the goal of improving nutrition across the country, provide technical assistance for the program and help monitor results, contact beneficiary families, set standards, and control the quality of the food provided. According to the National Agency for Nutrition, the government’s free school meals program reached nearly 7 million beneficiaries by July 2025. The program, announced by President Prabowo Subianto during his election campaign and with which he won support, was launched on January 6th and is intended to reach 82 million children nationwide with a gradual expansion. 1,873 food service units, officially called “Food Service Units,” are already in operation to implement the program. The program plans to open another 473 units nationwide in the coming weeks and establish partnerships with approximately 10,000 small and medium-sized enterprises or local cooperatives that will supply the food service units with raw materials and local products. According to the government’s goals, the program is expected to reach 24 million beneficiaries by the end of August. However, the program has also caused confusion and sparked a political debate. According to some observers, investing public funds in such a welfare program means diverting necessary resources from measures to stimulate the economy and employment. To finance the program, the government has cut funding to the Ministries of Public Works, Health, and Education. Meanwhile, unemployment is rising across the country, and the International Monetary Fund has predicted that it will rise in Indonesia from 4.9% in 2024 to 5% in 2025. But Prabowo’s feeding program has also been the subject of further controversy: hundreds of children who benefited from it suffered food poisoning, and authorities have raised concerns about accountability and corruption. The media points out that President Prabowo is focusing on low-income social groups and raises doubts about the sustainability of the program, which, when fully implemented, will cost USD 44 billion a year, or about 8% of the national budget. (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 8/7/2025)
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