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Indonesia's state-funded program delivers free meals to more than 60 million people.
Indonesia's free meal program has a budget allocation of approximately $15 billion for the current year, representing over 6% of the national budget.
As of 2024, nearly one in five Indonesian children were affected by stunting, a condition associated with long-term malnutrition.
The Indonesian government, under President Prabowo Subianto, announced it will take direct control of some commodity exports via a new state-run body.
President Prabowo Subianto claims Indonesia's free meal program has created over 600,000 jobs in its kitchens and involved more than 61,000 small and medium enterprises in its supply chain.
At least 15,000 children in Indonesia have fallen ill from food poisoning linked to the national free meal program.
Indonesia's free meal program is expected to expand to feed nearly 83 million people, about one-third of the population, by the end of the current year.
The Indonesian government's $15 billion budget for the free meal program this year is five times the amount spent last year, according to the National Nutrition Agency.
Indonesia has a legal requirement, in place since 2003, to keep its budget deficit below 3% of GDP.
In March, an Indonesian government official suggested temporarily easing the country's 3% of GDP budget deficit limit to manage higher oil prices.
Both Moody's and Fitch cited concerns over Indonesia's 3% budget deficit cap as a factor when they lowered their rating outlooks on the country this year.
Indonesia's new state-controlled export policy will affect key commodities including palm oil, coal, and ferroalloys.