REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) Erick Thohir held a meeting with the Head of the National Nutrition Agency Dadan Hindayana to discuss strategic cooperation in accelerating the national food self-sufficiency program. Erick said the meeting highlighted the importance of collaboration between the Ministry of state-owned enterprises, state-owned enterprises, and the National Nutrition Agency in implementing the free nutritious meal program proposed by President Prabowo Subianto.

“I support the synergy between the Ministry of state-owned enterprises and SOEs with the National Nutrition Agency to accelerate the food self-sufficiency program,” Erick said while receiving the visit of the Head of the National Nutrition Agency Dadan Hindayana at the SOE Ministry office, Jakarta, Tuesday (5/11/2024).

Erick mentioned that one of the main points discussed was the initiative of establishing a Nutrition Services Unit (SP) designed to provide nutritious food for people in different regions of Indonesia. Erick said the SP is targeted to be able to serve approximately 3,000 participants with the provision of free nutritious meals once per day or five times a week from Monday to Friday.

“This program has been running in the form of a pilot project in Magelang and shows positive potential in improving people's nutrition,” Erick said.

Erick expressed full support for the program and emphasized the importance of SOEs' role in building an integrated ecosystem to support SP operations. According to Erick, synergy between the Ministry of state-owned enterprises, state-owned enterprises, and the National Nutrition Agency is fundamental in achieving the food self-sufficiency target.

“With strong collaboration, we can ensure an even and sustainable distribution of nutritious food throughout Indonesia,” added Erick.

Erick said that the establishment of SP requires investment funds of about Rp 3-5 billion coming from the state budget, cooperation with state-owned enterprises, support from agencies such as TNI, as well as contributions from BUMDES and private parties. In its operations, Erick continued, SP will be funded by an average state budget of Rp 11 billion a year, where the difference in operating costs is based on location, food costs, and logistics of each area.

“SP will also need an integrated ecosystem with several state-owned enterprises, especially in Food clusters such as Bulog, RNI, and PTPN,” Erick said.

The meeting between the Ministry of state-owned enterprises and the National Nutrition Agency was attended by a number of directors from state-owned enterprises, including PLN. Erick said that the active role of SOEs is crucial in creating an integrated food ecosystem.

“SOEs will be at the forefront of supporting national strategic programs. With the resources and capabilities we have, I am optimistic we can achieve our food self-sufficiency target and improve people's well-being,” Erick said.

PLN President Director, Darmawan Prasodjo, who attended the meeting, said that PLN fully supports the vision and mission of this government, one of them through programs aimed at strengthening food provision and also improving people's nutrition.

“In line with the ESG (environmental, social, and governance) principles applied, PLN continues to support the government's efforts to strengthen food security through empowerment-based programs,” Darmawan said.

One of the programs that PLN has initiated to support food security is Electrifying Agriculture, which has just been implemented on the pilot land of the Food Estate area, in Merauke, South Papua. The program supports the development of electricity-based agricultural technology, thus being able to increase the productivity of food supply and also increase farmers' incomes.

“Electrifying Agriculture is a breakthrough by PLN in utilising electric energy in agriculture such as agriculture, fisheries, plantations and livestock farms aimed at increasing the productivity and operational efficiency of farmers. PLN's support in this agricultural sector will have an impact on food independence in the long term,” Darmawan said.

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