Latest news with #Dadan
The Star
a day ago
- Health
- The Star
Indonesia learns from S. Korea to develop local ingredients for free meals
Staff preparing lunch plates on Jan 6, 2025, the first day of the free nutritious meal programme, at a kitchen in Bogor, West Java. - AFP JAKARTA: Indonesia will learn from South Korea in developing local ingredients for the free nutritious meal programme by considering environmental aspects, National Nutrition Agency (BGN) head Dadan Hindayana said on Wednesday (July 23). 'I know that the Koica [Korea International Cooperation Agency] has long been involved in agriculture for a long time,' Dadan told participants of the National Instrumentation Center for Agromaritime and Bioscience (NICAB) workshop at the IPB International Convention Center (IICC). 'I believe this is the right time because when the free meals programme was developed, 95 per cent of ingredients being used were agricultural produce.' The workshop was jointly organised by the Koica and Bogor Agricultural University (IPB) from Wednesday to Friday. Participants came from the Higher Education, Science and Technology Ministry, the National Research and Innovation Agency and the National Development Planning Board, as well as academicians and leaders from Indonesia's top universities. Dadan said that Korea used local ingredients for its free meal program, something that can be adopted here. 'In the future, we will also do something like that, because our need will be big. We are already on the right track, similar to what South Korea and Japan developed, we will emphasise the use of local ingredients,' he said. 'Every SPPG [nutrition fulfilment service unit] and nutritionists will craft a menu based on the potential of local resources and also the preference of the local people.' He added that once the programme was up and running, food resilience in every village and district will increase, so there will be no food deficiency at the national level. "We are learning from South Korea that as the programme progresses, the use of local ingredients will be intensified,' he said. Meanwhile, project comanager for the KOICA-IPB-Seoul National University Center for Agriculture and Bioscience, Rinekso Soekmadi, said that the NICAB workshop was a cooperation initiative between IPB and South Korea. 'This workshop is in its third year, and we focus on food because it is aligned with national program,' he said. 'We hope there will further cooperation between Indonesia and South Korea, especially to make the nutritious meal programme a success.' Dadan said the South Korean side explained that their free meal programme covered 1,300 schools and needed nine years to develop with a population of just 51 million. 'We just started six months ago and have reached seven million beneficiaries with 2,259 SPPGs. We hope to reach 82.9 million recipients by year-end,' he said. With 3,000 students, each unit will require 200 kilograms of uncooked rice every day. For protein, it requires 3,000 eggs or 350 1-kg chickens. Also needed are 350 kg of vegetables, which cannot be supplied by a single farmer and must be coordinated by village-owned enterprises and cooperatives, and 350 kg of fruit. He said that vendors selling locally grown bananas in Sentul were happy that SPPGs buy their fruit in large quantities every day. 'We also need 490 liters of milk. If a dairy cow produces 10 litres of milk per day, each SPPG needs 50 cows. If there are 10 SPPGs in a district, the district needs 500 cows,' he said. Dadan said every SPPG has a budget of Rp 10 billion (US$612,100) per year, with 85 per cent of the budget used to buy ingredients, of which 90 percent are agricultural products. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
Time of India
17-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Chairman of Kokan Mercantile Co-operative Bank felicitated formaking a turnaround
MUMBAI: The iconic institution Anjuman-I-Islam and Marathi Muslim Seva Sangh have jointly felicitated Asif Gulam Mohammed Dadan, Chairman, Kokan Mercantile Co-operative Bank, for making a turnaround in the multi-state urban co-operative bank. Kokan Mercantile Co-operative Bank has come out of the RBI's Supervisory Action Framework (SAF) after a gap of 10 years. Remarkably, the Bank's net Non-Performing Assets (NPA) dropped to 4.33% as of 31st March 2025, from10.22% in FY 2022–23. While the bank's total business crossed Rs 1,321 crore, registering a 6.89% year-on-year growth, its Capital to Risk (Weighted) Assets Ratio (CRAR) stood at 17.06%, nearly double the regulatory requirement of 9%. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai "We are extremely happy that we have not only exited SAF after 10 years, but have also registered a significant growth. We have wiped out all our past losses and gained significantly through profit. Now our target is to get the coveted status of a Scheduled Co-operative Bank," said Dadan at the felicitation function held at the bank's headquarters in Mazagon. The bank's growth trajectory can be understood and appreciated with its net profit of Rs 10.19 crore in FY 2024–25 and rising numbers of account holders and digital users. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like This Could Be the Best Time to Trade Gold in 5 Years IC Markets Learn More Undo Its deposits were Rs 813.01 crore, while advances reached Rs 508.60 crore as on 31st March 2025. Significantly, the Board of Directors has reappointed Akbar Y. Kondkari as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for another three-year term with RBI's approval, and his tenure has been extended till 2028. Founded in 1969 by a group of visionary leaders and individuals with an aim to help middle and lower income groups to establish businesses and improve economically, the bank has played a crucial role in fulfilling its goals. Though its main clients comprise Kokani community members, the bank's doors are open to all communities. It operates through 25 branches across Greater Mumbai, Thane, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Goa. "We are focussed at microfinance and strive to expand the bank's digital footprint with RuPay Debit Cards, a mobile banking app and UPI linkage," said Dadan. "Our goal included offering seamless and secure banking services to our growing customer base." Congratulating Dadan and his team for achieving this significant milestone, Anjuman-I-Islam president Padmashree Dr Zahir Kazi said that the bank's significant achievements would go a long way in inducing confidence among its stakeholders, including customers and shareholders. Recalling his long association with the bank and its many past chairmen, Dr Kazi said that the bank should call a shareholder' meet and thank them for the continued support and for reposing faith in the bank's leadership. Anjuman-I-Isam's senior vice-president and chairman of Maulana Azad Minorities Financial Development Corporation Mustaq Antulay said that he would see how the Corporation could co-operate the bank in its growth journey. Marathi Muslim Seva Sangh's president Fakir Mohammed Thakur too congratulated the bank's chairman for his able leadership which has brought the bank out from SAF and reduced its NPA substantially. He promised continued support to the bank.
The Star
20-06-2025
- Health
- The Star
Uncooked rice, ultra-processed food included in free meals programme
A student of state junior high school (SMPN) 1 Denpasar in Bali shows a variety of food items received as part of the government free meals programme on March 17, 2025. - Antara JAKARTA: The government's free nutritious meal programme has once again come under public scrutiny following reports of uncooked ingredients and ultra-processed foods being distributed in South Tangerang, Banten, as schools begin their holiday break this week. A foundation operating the Cempaka Putih Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG) in East Ciputat, South Tangerang, Banten, admitted to including uncooked rice in its meal packages, alongside protein sources, fruit and ultra-high temperature milk so the food 'could be taken home and stored for longer periods'. The kitchen stated via its Instagram account, @sppg_yasmit_cemput, earlier this week that the menu was adjusted due to most schools being on break. However, the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) that oversees the programme emphasised that it had never instructed any SPPG to distribute raw food items. 'Distributing raw food is not part of the free nutritious meal policy. There should be no such initiative,' BGN head Dadan Hindayana told The Jakarta Post on Thursday (June 19), adding that the agency had ordered the Cempaka Putih SPPG to immediately halt the practice. 'SPPG units are responsible for continuing to provide meals during school holidays, but only if students and teachers are willing to come to the school. If they don't, then no service should be provided,' Dadan explained. While the BGN has yet to issue an official policy on how the free meals programme should operate during the school break, Dadan confirmed the agency was currently drafting technical guidelines to address such situations. 'If students are able to come to school, meals will be provided as fresh, ready-to-eat food,' the agency emphasised. Otherwise, the distribution will be adjusted to prioritise other eligible groups, including pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and toddlers. The programme, a flagship initiative from President Prabowo Subianto's election campaign last year, seeks to tackle the country's persistently high stunting rate, which affects more than 21 per cent of children across Indonesia's population of approximately 282 million. The government initially allocated Rp 71 trillion (US$$.3 billion) from the 2025 state budget for the programme, later increasing it by an additional Rp 100 trillion to expand its coverage. In May, it announced that the BGN would receive around Rp 217 trillion next year for the implementation of the free meals programme, the largest allocation among 98 ministries and agencies. Despite receiving high-level attention from the President, the programme continues to face challenges, including food safety concerns. The latest incident occurred at a kindergarten in Kulon Progo, Yogyakarta, where several students reportedly suffered vomiting and diarrhoea after consuming free meals on Tuesday. The Kulon Progo Health Agency promptly dispatched a team to investigate the incident. Agency head Sri Budi expressed hope that the responsible SPPG unit would learn from the case and improve its operational standards, particularly regarding sanitation, food ingredient selection and storage. 'Schools must also remain vigilant. They need to inspect the food provided to children to prevent similar incidents from recurring,' he said, as quoted by - The Jakarta Post/ANN
Vogue Arabia
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Vogue Arabia
This Woman Becomes First Person to Walk Across Saudi Arabia from North to South
What new perspective did walking through AlUla with archaeologist Wissam Khalil offer? Wissam said, 'Walk with an archaeologist and you will never look up again.' He was right! He found artefacts just lying on the ground. At Dadan, we found a shift schedule carved into stone—a kind of ancient timesheet. It was a powerful reminder of how connected we are to our ancestors. What have your camel companions, Lulu and Juicy, taught you? They're crucial team members—and full of personality. Camels are clever, funny, and sensitive. They'd start fast in the mornings, so we had to jog to keep up. They also love snacking, often yanking me toward tasty bushes. I've learned patience and humour from them. Walking 930km over seven weeks is a major feat. What were your biggest challenges? Blisters. My feet blistered badly on day one and worsened. I spent three weeks in real pain. Mentally, I had to block it out and keep going. It was tough, but I managed. You speak fluent Arabic and have years of experience in the region. How does this journey reflect changes you've seen in Saudi Arabia? From an outsider's perspective, the transformation is incredible. Women's roles are evolving fast—not just in dress codes, but in deeper ways. I've met so many Saudis who are proud of their country and optimistic about the future. It's inspiring. You explored environmental projects like species reintroduction. How important is conservation in this region? It's clear that significant investment is being made in conservation. I applaud those efforts—they reflect a broader vision for sustainable development and respect for nature. In today's digital world, what role does long-form storytelling still play? People crave connection. Following a real journey—even digitally—is like watching a serial drama. Will my feet hold up? What's Juicy going to do next? Whether it's a TikTok or a long article, people engage with stories that unfold over time. With Stage Two starting in October, what are you most looking forward to—and what will you do differently? I can't wait to see my team again—Shaya, Lulu, and Juicy. I'll definitely prepare my feet better and invest in better socks! But mostly, I'm looking forward to more days of discovery.
CNA
29-04-2025
- Health
- CNA
Over 170 students affected in two food poisoning outbreaks under Indonesia's free meal programme
JAKARTA: Authorities are probing two cases of food poisoning outbreaks that have affected over 170 students under Indonesia's ambitious free nutritious meal programme, the latest of at least six known cases since the programme was launched in January. The nationwide project - part of President Prabowo Subianto's key campaign promises - aims to boost the nation's human resource quality in the long term by improving nutrition in children's meals and nurturing better educational outcomes. A recent and widely reported incident took place in Cianjur regency of West Java where at least 165 students were admitted to the hospital for food poisoning after consuming the free meal packages last Monday (Apr 21), local media reported. 'We conducted checks on two schools which had 972 students in total, 165 of them were sick,' Head of the Disease Prevention and Control Division of West Java's Health Office Rochady Hendra said on Saturday, as quoted by local news outlet Detik. A 16-year-old student from the MAN 1 Islamic senior high school in Cianjur said that he noticed a 'bad smell' coming from the shredded chicken, one of the dishes served in the nutritious meal programme on Monday morning last week. 'A few hours after eating it, I began to feel dizzy and vomited,' 16-year-old M Raihan told Tempo. On Thursday, Kompas reported that 78 students from the two schools - MAN 1 Cianjur state Islamic senior high school and SMP PGRI 1 Cianjur junior high school - had shown symptoms of nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea after consuming the meal packages. The high number of patients due to the food poisoning cases forced the agency administration to declare a state of emergency in the region, according to the Jakarta Post. The West Java Health Agency analysed some samples of food from the kitchen and vomit from the patients to assess for possible microbe contamination while the Cianjur Health Agency suspended meal production at the kitchen service units which produced the free nutritious meals. 'The laboratory test results (for possible microbe contamination) have not yet been released,' National Nutrition Agency head Dadan Hindayana told Kompas on Monday as he gave the latest updates. Dadan also said that the exact cause of the incident remained unclear and was still being investigated. Previously, he had also said that training and a refresher course would be provided to food handlers to improve their skills, as quoted in the Jakarta Post. He also said that plastic food trays used in packaging the free nutritious meals may have contributed to the food poisoning experienced by the 165 students. 'In the two schools, the food trays were made of plastic, that's why we are requesting an immediate replacement,' he told Kompas on Thursday. In addition to concerns about the food trays, Dadan also instructed the head of the kitchen service unit in Cianjur to separate the flow of incoming and outgoing food items. Since the exact cause of the poisoning in Cianjur remains unknown, Dadan also said that the investigation has been hampered by the fact that the leftover food has already been disposed of by the schools. In addition to conducting lab tests on the food samples still available at the kitchen service unit, his agency also inspected the water and utensils used, highlighting that they were 'safe to use'. CALLS TO SUSPEND AND REVIEW THE PROGRAMME In the wake of the latest incident, calls from civic organisations have emerged for the government to suspend the programme. Besides Cianjur, food poisoning cases involving food distributed under the free nutritious meal programme were also reported in other regions across Indonesia, including the Bombana regency in Southeast Sulawesi and Batang in Central Java. In the same week on Wednesday, local media reported that at least 10 students from a primary school in Bombana in Sulawesi fell ill after consuming the free meal packages which included rice, crispy chicken, fried tofu and vegetable soup. The school principal told Tempo that there was an unpleasant smell from the crispy chicken, which was no longer fit for consumption. Police later confirmed the following day that 53 out of the 1,026 of the packages from the kitchen service unit were found to be spoiled. The 1,026 packages were supposed to be distributed to three schools in the area. In another case this month, at least 60 students from eight schools in Batang, Central Java fell ill after consuming the free nutritious meal packages on Apr 14. Indonesia Corruption Watch said that the incident was caused by a lack of standardisation among all kitchen units in preparing the food, reported the Jakarta Post. Diah Saminarsih of the Centre for Indonesia's Strategic Development Initiatives told the Jakarta Post that the food poisoning likely stemmed from the government's failure to thoroughly consider conditions and other external factors that differ from one region to another. 'The government must at least review the programme and suspending it isn't necessarily a bad idea,' she said. 'If not, the issues must be categorised and solutions should be developed in consultation with experts and the public,' she added. CNA reported previously. 'The socialisation of this programme is very scarce at the grassroots,' she added.
