The appeal was made by South Sulawesi Apdesi Head Sri Rahayu Husni during a meeting with the Poverty Elimination Acceleration Agency at the State Secretary Building on Friday.
She emphasized that involving village farmers is a key approach to ensuring the success of the Free Nutritious Meals program.
This initiative is considered particularly significant, as it aims to provide nutritional benefits for children and pregnant women, while also potentially improving the welfare of village farmers by incorporating their harvests into the program.
According to Sri, this move also presents the right opportunity for the government to better support rural communities, particularly farmers.
She added that while the government has provided extensive assistance to empower village communities in agriculture, farmers often face challenges in marketing or processing their produce once harvested.
"For example, farmers have received support such as fertilizer, seeds, and agricultural tools, but once their crops are ready, they struggle to find buyers," she explained.
Sri expressed hope that farmers' harvests would be integrated into the Free Nutritious Meals program.
The Free Nutritious Meals program is part of the work plan of President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka for their 2024–2029 tenure.
In August 2024, the government established the National Nutrition Agency to support the program's implementation.
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Translator: Livia Kristianti, Raka Adji
Editor: Tia Mutiasari
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