(Jakarta, 2nd) The Indonesian government plans to expand the 'Free Nutritious Meal Program' to include the elderly and people with disabilities as beneficiaries. In addition to free meals, the authorities are also considering providing them with trained caregivers to take care of their daily living needs.
According to Antara News Agency on Wednesday (December 31, 2025), Indonesian Minister of Social Affairs, Saifullah, said that the expansion of the program will give priority to elderly people over 75 living alone, with meals and other aid tailored to their individual needs, including determining whether they require daily care.
He said: "The plan for expanding the scheme has not yet been finalized. We hope the implementation process will go smoothly."
The Free Nutritious Meal Program has been in operation for nearly a year and is a flagship project implemented by Indonesian President Prabowo after taking office, aiming to address child malnutrition and support vulnerable groups. The Indonesian government also hopes that the program will create job opportunities. According to official forecasts, community kitchens participating in the nutritious meal plan could create up to 1.5 million jobs between 2025 and 2026.
The Free Nutritious Meal Program has been in operation for nearly a year and is a flagship project implemented by Indonesian President Prabowo after taking office, aiming to address child malnutrition and support vulnerable groups. The Indonesian government also hopes that the program will create job opportunities. According to official forecasts, community kitchens participating in the nutritious meal plan could create up to 1.5 million jobs between 2025 and 2026.
Nunung, Deputy Minister in charge of social welfare improvement at the Coordinating Ministry for Social Empowerment, said: "We plan to set up more than 25,000 community kitchens nationwide; this way, the Free Nutritious Meal Program is expected to become a strategic tool for eradicating extreme poverty."
The ministry plans to provide at least 10,000 extremely poor people with employment opportunities through the program, covering areas such as food preparation and distribution, logistics, and basic services. As part of the pilot phase, 300 participants have completed training and are expected to be deployed to selected community kitchen services.
However, since the Free Nutritious Meal Program was launched in January last year, it has faced continuous issues, including cases of food poisoning, delayed funding, and corruption, leading to public dissatisfaction and doubts about the government's capacity for effective implementation. According to official data, more than 11,000 children in Indonesia have been affected by food poisoning incidents related to the program since its launch.
The ministry plans to provide at least 10,000 extremely poor people with employment opportunities through the program, covering areas such as food preparation and distribution, logistics, and basic services. As part of the pilot phase, 300 participants have completed training and are expected to be deployed to selected community kitchen services.
However, since the Free Nutritious Meal Program was launched in January last year, it has faced continuous issues, including cases of food poisoning, delayed funding, and corruption, leading to public dissatisfaction and doubts about the government's capacity for effective implementation. According to official data, more than 11,000 children in Indonesia have been affected by food poisoning incidents related to the program since its launch.