NOT A Cure
Given that the program involves thousands of restaurants and other service companies in transportation and logistics, good governance (especially food safety ) would be a must.  ,
Additionally, it is crucial to understand the responsibilities of numerous federal bodies, including the National Nutrition Agency, the Coordinating Ministry of Food Affairs, the Ministry of Health, and the local institutions. The widespread use of the military and the centralized home method could also stifle local micro and small businesses, which the government intended to support.  ,
The president’s free school meals program is not a cure for addressing Indonesia’s triple burden of health issues.  ,
Additionally, it might not be the only program that may address the problem. Stunting, for instance, is an irreversible malnutrition issue after the age of two years old, which is already being addressed under the National Strategy to Accelerate Stunting Prevention ( Stranas ). It is caused by factors beyond foods supply. Free school meals programs are not a program to stop stunting, but they can help reduce the long-term effects of malnutrition.  ,  ,  ,
Indonesia’s completely school lunch program would be more successful if it was coordinated with other complementing programs. These include behavioral modification, improved diet habits, and monitoring children’s health standing at college both at the baseline and throughout the program.  ,
Another needed comparable programmes include actual actions, deworming programmes and food fortress.
Besides more targeted treatments, there are other programs to handle Indonesian children’s health status that might be easier to implement and more cost-efficient. This includes intended subsidies to full-day school, which has been proven to positively impact children’s advancement including demographic status.  ,
In short, there is no such thing as a free meal. The potential consequences and coverage gaps should be addressed by the state.
Maria Monica Wihardja is an alternative associate professor at the National University of Singapore and a visiting brother and co-coordinator of the Media, Technology, and Society Programme at the ISEAS- Yusof Ishak Institute. She oversaw the meal plan changes and stunting protection plan at the Executive Office of the President of the Republic of Indonesia in 2017. Arianto Patunru is a fellow of ANU Indonesia Project, Arndt-Corden Department of Economics,  , Australian National University and the president of Center of Indonesian Policy Studies. This remark first appeared on the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute’s site, Fulcrum.