JAYAPURA – The Papua Provincial Government has proposed linking kitchens for Free Nutritious Meal with food production from family gardens. The concept is expected to provide households with an opportunity to help meet local food supply needs.

Papua Governor Matius D. Fakhiri put forward the idea while accompanying Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono during a visit to a pilot integrated Sekolah Rakyat in North Jayapura District, Jayapura City, on Friday (Sept. 18, 2026).

Fakhiri said that food production from family gardens could be integrated with the food requirements of kitchens and Sekolah Rakyat. Families could grow basic crops such as chili and tomatoes to help meet part of the demand.

He said involving households in food production could provide additional economic activity for families while making use of food production potential within local communities.

“When every household and family economy grows, it will certainly contribute to improving the welfare of people at the grassroots level,” he said.

Fakhiri said Papua’s geographical conditions need to be considered in developing nutrition meal services. Long distances between areas and communities separated by rivers, seas and forests mean food distribution requires an approach adapted to local conditions.

Therefore, the construction of kitchens should take into account school locations and the characteristics of the areas they serve. Kitchen locations are expected to bring the service closer to schools in remote and outlying areas.

“We cannot build a kitchen in the middle of the forest and expect people to go there for meals. The schools themselves are located in outlying areas,” Fakhiri said.

He expressed hope that the number of kitchens could be increased so that more schools could receive the service. Linking the kitchens with household food production could also become part of efforts to develop local food supply chains.

“If the number of these kitchens can be increased, more schools can certainly be served,” he said. ***