This information was confirmed by Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq in South Tangerang, Banten, on Monday.
Nurofiq noted that based on his direct monitoring conducted recently, the amount of food waste produced has not been in large quantities.
Nevertheless, his ministry is proactively preparing for potential waste accumulation if proper management is not implemented.
The Ministry of Environment has also engaged in supervision across several regions in Indonesia and is planning to establish several locations for the pilot project focusing on waste management for the free meals program.
The ministry has also coordinated with the implementing parties, including the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), in addition to communicating with environment offices in regions to ensure the waste management standards are met.
"All parties that are mandated to operate nutritional service units or the Free Nutritious Meals program must follow the waste management guidelines," the minister highlighted.
The Indonesian government officially launched the Free Nutritious Meals program on January 6, 2025, across 190 locations in 26 provinces.
A budget of Rp71 trillion (around US$4.35 billion) has been allocated for the program, which is one of the priority programs of President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka.
Through the program, the government aims to enhance the nutritional intake of children under five, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and schoolchildren up to high school age.
The government set up the BGN in August 2024 to support the program's implementation.
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Translator: Prisca Triferna, Raka Adji
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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