Free meals, full of risk: Over 11,000 children sickened as government program struggles to hit 80 million target

INDONESIA: Indonesia’s promise to put free, nutritious meals on millions of tables is moving forward—but not as smoothly as planned.

The government now expects the program to reach up to 80 million people by April, a timeline that reflects new delays in one of President Prabowo Subianto’s most high-profile pledges. Coordinating Food Minister Zulkifli Hasan said on Monday that by early January, about 55 million people are likely to be covered. He shared the update after meeting with government agencies to review Indonesia’s food supplies through 2026.

Launched as a key promise during Prabowo’s 2024 election campaign, the program was meant to serve up to 83 million schoolchildren and pregnant women across the country. For many families, it raised hopes of healthier diets and some relief from rising living costs. But turning that vision into reality has proven difficult.

The challenges have gone beyond logistics and budgets. Concerns over food safety have grown sharper after official figures showed that more than 11,000 children have suffered food poisoning since the program began in January—an alarming setback for an initiative designed to improve health.

Prabowo had originally aimed for a full nationwide rollout by the end of 2025. That goal was later scaled back in October to around 70 million recipients, as officials acknowledged a shortage of kitchens needed to prepare meals safely and at scale.

Even so, the government is doubling down financially. This year, Rp 171 trillion (US$10.19 billion) has been set aside for the program, and the budget is expected to jump to Rp 335 trillion in 2026.

As Indonesia pushes ahead, the program’s future will depend not just on how many people it reaches, but on whether the meals arrive safely and consistently. For millions of children and expectant mothers, the promise of a healthy meal is personal—and the pressure is on the government to make sure that promise is kept.