Indonesia’s National Nutrition Agency will open 480 kitchens in October under President Prabowo Subianto’s free-meals programme, with 269 facilities planned across 16 eastern provinces with high stunting rates, including Gorontalo, Maluku and provinces on Papua island. The programme, launched in 2025, aims to feed 83 million school children and expectant mothers. It has faced corruption allegations, more than 50,000 food-poisoning cases, private-kitchen closures and concern that its multi-billion-dollar cost could widen the budget deficit. The agency said it would prioritize remote areas after this year’s budget was reduced to 229 trillion rupiah ($12.8 billion) from 335 trillion rupiah, while next year’s allocation is 240 trillion rupiah. The kitchens will be activated from Friday, with staff training and meal provision increasing throughout October. Owners are expected to begin receiving government payments after activation, though details remain unclear.