Indonesia's school feeding program: Benefits in a time of crisis

Indonesia's national school feeding program (SFP), launched in 1996, represented an innovative approach to school feeding involving Multiple participants and beneficiaries in community-based implementation. In 1997/98 Indonesia was struck by Asia's economic crisis that raised fears for severe social consequences. Following preliminary investigations in 1996 and 1997, 280 school principals (143 in SFP schools) were surveyed in August 1998 to determine the effects of Indonesia's crisis on student attendance patterns. Further, sixteen SFP schools were purposively selected for observations and in-depth interviews with program stakeholders to evaluate the benefits of SFP implementation, particularly since the crisis.; The observations and interviews revealed that the program was implemented in all targeted schools, according to guidelines, with a high degree of community participation. The average 138% increase in food costs from 1997 to 1998, without a commensurate increase in program funds, resulted in diminished SFP snack quantity and quality. The program does not appear to have provided net additional energy but to have replaced privately purchased snacks and home supplied foods and thus provided an income transfer to families. Food was purchased from local farmers who recognized this as a program benefit, especially during the crisis when market demand and prices declined.; The SFP was associated with significant increases in student attendance even during the crisis when non-SFP schools showed a decline. A new approach to analyzing changes in program participation (student attendance) was developed and used. Ordinary least squares models and regression analysis were used to analyze the two components of change in attendance data—student recruitment to attendance and attrition (loss) from attendance—in SFP schools compared to non-SFP schools. Recruitment rates were significantly greater in SFP schools, even during the crisis, while attrition rates did not differ.; The results suggest that Indonesia's SFP is a successful model for engendering community involvement in children's schooling. During the crisis implementation was maintained, provided economic benefits to local communities and appeared to provide incentives to increase student attendance amidst declines elsewhere. Finally, the method developed to evaluate interventions that affect program participation provides insights and understandings of effects that were previously unavailable.