Indonesia’s National Food Agency (Bapanas) and state-owned food holding ID Food have distributed 8.4 million food aid packages to 1.44 million children in seven provinces to eradicate stunting, reported the national news agency Antara.

Indonesia will be able to realise food independence in less than three years, said its Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman on July 28 when he attended the National Food Agency's (Bapanas) Nusantara Food Festival.

Indonesia’s National Food Agency (Bapanas) head Arief Prasetyo Adi has stated that the agency aims to increase government rice stocks (CBP) to reach 3 million tonnes to maintain food security as instructed by President Joko Widodo.

Based on the estimated rice production data for 2023 from Indonesia’s Central Statistics Agency (BPS), the country is predicted to experience a rice shortage for nine months, said Director of Food Supply and Price Stabilisation of the National Food Agency (Bapanas) Maino Dwi Hartono.