Indonesians enthusiastically collect government rice aid

Residents lined up enthusiastically to collect rice assistance at the Kebon Baru village office in Tebet, Jakarta, on Sept. 1, as Indonesia began distributing three months of food aid at once.

The state food agency Bulog is providing 30 kilograms of rice to each beneficiary family, covering allocations for July, August and September 2026. The program targets about 33.24 million beneficiary families across Indonesia.

The government has prepared 997,200 tonnes of rice and a budget of 17.52 trillion rupiah for the distribution. Officials describe the program as part of a social safety net that helps families meet basic needs while supporting purchasing power and national food stability.

The first phase of the 2026 program, covering February and March, reached 33.14 million beneficiary families, or 99.7% of the target. At the Jakarta distribution point, residents waited to be called and carried their rice home after receiving it.