Cargill fights childhood malnutrition in rural Indonesia
Initiative supports Indonesia’s Sustainable Development Goals to end all forms of hunger and malnutrition by 2030
Jakarta, Indonesia, October 17, 2016 – Cargill is taking steps to fight childhood malnutrition in Indonesia to commemorate World Food Day this year.
A study by the Indonesian health department in 2015 revealed that chronic malnourishment remains prevalent among young children in Indonesia. In a ranking of the country’s 34 provinces with malnourished children, West Kalimantan and South Sumatra, where Cargill’s oil palm plantations operate, placed 13th and 16th respectively.
From October to December, employees at Cargill’s oil palm plantations will volunteer to help over 2,000 children in South Sumatra and West Kalimantan access better nutrition through activities such as:
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Hindoli collagues prepare a nutritious meal of rice with chicken and vegetables, and a packet of milk, for 1,100 elementary and junior high school students at Sungai Lilin and Pulau Rimau sub-districtsDistribution of nutritious food packages to over 1,800 kindergarten, elementary and junior high school students at Cargill’s Hindoli, Harapan Sawit Lestari and Indo Sawit Kekal plantations and to 70 children at an orphanage supported by Cargill’s Poliplant Group plantation. The food packages are prepared by wives of Cargill employees.
- Healthy cooking demonstrations by Hindoli’s medical team to employees and junior high school students. At Harapan Sawit Lestari, cooking demonstrations are led by a local nutrition expert for employees, their families, and parents of kindergarten students.
- Nutrition and personal hygiene education workshops for employees, students and teachers.
- Vegetable farming projects for elementary and junior high school students at Hindoli, and at Poliplant Group, wives of employees learn urban farming techniques such as hydroponic gardening
“Rural communities in Indonesia are prone to severe hunger and malnutrition due to the remoteness of their locations. Our vegetable farming projects aim to improve access to affordable and nutritious food to those living and working in rural communities,” said Dr. Merryah Duani, a doctor at Cargill’s Hindoli oil palm plantation.
The activities are part of Cargill’s three-month campaign themed ‘Hunger Action Season’ to help improve nutrition for approximately 15,000 children in Asia through employee-led activities in collaboration with 50 partners, including food banks, local schools and various local charities.
The campaign also aims to raise awareness about the realities of childhood malnutrition amongst Cargill’s more than 50,000 employees in Asia and the communities they live in.
Indonesia: Didin Nasirudin, +62 81932681999, [email protected]
Singapore: Colin Lee, +65 6393 8193, [email protected]
Keshia de Vries, +65 6393 8378, [email protected]
About Cargill
Cargill’s 155,000 employees across 70 countries work relentlessly to achieve our purpose of nourishing the world in a safe, responsible and sustainable way. Every day, we connect farmers with markets, customers with ingredients, and people and animals with the food they need to thrive. We combine 155 years of experience with new technologies and insights to serve as a trusted partner for food, agriculture, financial and industrial customers in more than 125 countries. Side-by-side, we are building a stronger, sustainable future for agriculture. For more information, visit Cargill.com and our News Center.
About Cargill in Indonesia
Cargill began doing business in Indonesia in 1974 by establishing a feed mill in Bogor, West Java. Today, Cargill is headquartered in Jakarta and has more than 19,000 employees. We have 59 locations with offices, manufacturing plants and facilities throughout the country and business activities comprise animal nutrition, cocoa, copra, seaweed, processed food exporting, grain and oilseeds, palm oil, as well as starches and sweeteners. For further information, please visit http://www.cargill.co.id.