JAKARTA, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia aims to establish around 30,000 operational kitchens by the end of this year to support the government's free nutritious meal program, which provides meals for students, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and toddlers, the country's National Nutrition Agency (BGN) said Thursday.
The program is a key part of the government's broader effort to improve public nutrition and reduce stunting nationwide.
BGN Deputy Head Sony Sonjaya said that while around 9,200 kitchens have been certified, only about 8,000 are currently fully operational, adding that more than 32,000 applicants have registered with the agency to participate in the program.
Sonjaya expressed optimism that the 30,000-kitchen target would be met, citing steady progress in construction and certification.
The government noted that the free meal program has generated 290,000 new jobs in the kitchen sector and engaged around 1 million farmers, fishermen, livestock breeders, and micro, small, and medium enterprises. ■
