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Gibran welcomes idea to substitute rice with corn in free meal program

Gibran also assured that milk in the program would comply with health standards to reduce diabetes risk in children.

Yohana Belinda (The Jakarta Post)
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Wed, August 7, 2024 Published on Aug. 6, 2024 Published on 2024-08-06T16:01:05+07:00

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Gibran welcomes idea to substitute rice with corn in free meal program Students eat their meals on Feb. 29, 2024, during the trial of a free lunch program for students at a junior high school in Tangerang, Banten. (Reuters/Stefanno Sulaiman)

V

ice president-elect Gibran Rakabuming Raka said the planned free meal program could substitute rice with other carbohydrates including corn products.

Gibran emphasized that any food chosen for the free meal program would comply with the guidelines to meet the nutritional needs of children. He also assured that milk served through the program would comply with health standards to reduce diabetes in children.

“It doesn’t have to be rice every day; it can be replaced with noodles or [rice] made from corn. The key is to meet the nutrition requirements,” Gibran said after visiting a pilot project for the program in Tangerang, Banten on Monday, as quoted from Antara.

Previously, Coordinating Human Development and Culture Minister Muhadjir Effendy said on Aug. 3 that he suggested the program could incorporate corn-based rice, citing a need to promote food diversification in many regions, as quoted from Antara.

He also proposed that the program include locally sourced vegetables and poultry from each school’s region.

Experts have warned that the free meal program could lead to increased food imports if it is not followed with plans to increase local production.

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