Free Nutritious Meal Programme 2025 Expected to Improve Health, Education and Economic Wellbeing
The Free Nutritious Meal Programme 2025 is an ambitious initiative of the Indonesian government designed to improve people’s quality of life through a holistic approach that encompasses health, education and economic well-being.
With a focus on nutrition and economic support, the programme aims to reach a wide range of community groups, including school children, santri, pregnant women, nursing mothers, and children under five.
The main objective of the Free Nutritious Meal Programme is to inculcate healthy eating habits and improve nutritional fulfilment in vulnerable groups such as school children, santri, pregnant women, nursing mothers, and children under five.
Adequate nutritional intake is an important foundation for optimal health and development of individuals, especially at crucial stages of life such as childhood and pregnancy.
By ensuring that these groups receive regular nutritious meals, the programme seeks to prevent health problems that can arise from malnutrition and ensure that every individual has the opportunity to grow and develop properly.
Good health contributes to better academic performance. By providing nutritious meals at school, the programme not only supports the fulfilment of nutritional needs, but also has a direct impact on school children’s achievement, participation and attendance.
Nutritious food can improve concentration and energy, which in turn can improve learning motivation and academic performance. In addition, by reducing malnutrition-related health issues, the programme has the potential to lower school dropout rates, ensuring that more children have the opportunity to complete their education and reach their full potential.
The programme is also projected to have a significant impact on the welfare of farmers and small and micro businesses. By increasing demand for local food products as part of the nutritious eating programme, there is potential to drive economic growth in the agriculture and small business sectors.
Farmers will gain a more stable market for their products, while micro and small businesses will experience increased demand for related goods and services, such as food processing and distribution.
In addition to direct health and education benefits, the Free Nutritious Meal Programme also contributes to job creation. By involving various sectors in the implementation of the programme, from food production to distribution and serving, many new employment opportunities can be opened.
This contributes to reducing the economic burden on poor families by providing additional sources of income and reducing dependence on social assistance.
Source: Bappenas
