19-11-2024 (JAKARTA) Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has revealed alarming statistics about child hunger in his nation, announcing that one in four Indonesian children face daily food insecurity, during his address at the G20 Summit in Brazil on Tuesday.
Speaking at the summit’s opening session, the newly-elected leader of the world’s fourth most populous nation outlined his administration’s strategy to tackle this pressing issue through a comprehensive free school meals programme and increased educational investment.
“Hunger and poverty are real issues for us every day,” President Prabowo told fellow world leaders, acknowledging that a significant portion of Indonesia’s population continues to live below the poverty line. The president’s candid assessment highlighted the scale of the challenge facing his administration in addressing food security concerns among the nation’s youngest citizens.
In response to these challenges, Prabowo detailed a two-pronged approach focusing on education and nutrition. His administration plans to allocate a substantial portion of the national budget to education, which he views as a crucial pathway out of poverty. The strategy includes implementing a nationwide free nutritious meal programme in schools, designed to simultaneously address immediate hunger concerns while encouraging school attendance.
Commending Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s decision to prioritise poverty and hunger as central themes of this year’s G20 summit, Prabowo expressed confidence in Indonesia’s ability to overcome these challenges. “We are very optimistic that we can overcome hunger in Indonesia,” he stated, emphasising the vital importance of these initiatives to Indonesia’s national interests.
