Improving Nutritional Quality Through the MBG Program

By: Dirandra Falguni

The Free Nutritious Meal Program (MBG) is one of the government’s concrete steps in improving the nutritional quality of the Indonesian people. By collaborating with various parties, including the Indonesian House of Representatives, the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), and educational institutions, this program is expected to be able to reduce stunting and malnutrition rates, while strengthening national food security.

The Indonesian House of Representatives together with BGN held a socialization of the MBG Program on Jalan Manukan Lor, Tandes, Surabaya. With the theme Together Realizing Quality Nutrition for a Healthy Generation of Indonesia, this event was attended by around 300 participants, including representatives of the Indonesian House of Representatives, the Surabaya DPRD, and BGN.

Member of Commission IX of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Lucy Kurniasari highlighted the importance of building an MBG kitchen as the main infrastructure for this program. Limited land is a challenge in its implementation. Limited land is the main obstacle, but efforts must be made immediately so that children, toddlers, and pregnant and breastfeeding mothers can immediately receive the benefits.

As a solution, the MBG kitchen in Manukan Lor is designed to serve 3,000 to 4,000 students within a six-kilometer radius. Lucy emphasized the importance of local MSME involvement in the distribution of nutritious food, in order to strengthen the local economy. BGN targets the establishment of 30,000 MBG kitchens throughout Indonesia by 2026. With this achievement, it is hoped that access to nutritious food will be more evenly distributed. Surabaya itself has shown success in reducing stunting rates, which has resulted in national awards. Lucy emphasized the government’s commitment to ensuring that there are no more high-risk pregnant women or children with malnutrition.
In West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), member of Commission IX of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Muazzim Akbar, is overseeing the construction of 128 MBG kitchens. Socialization of this program has been carried out in Wanasaba and Selong Districts, East Lombok. Each MBG kitchen requires 47 workers from the surrounding community. Cooks, delivery workers, and managers of basic ingredients all come from the surrounding community. This also creates new jobs.
BGN targets the construction of 128 MBG kitchens in NTB in the first semester of 2025, with 22 kitchens starting construction in February 2025. The village economy is predicted to grow rapidly thanks to the involvement of local farmers and livestock breeders in providing raw materials for food.

Through this mechanism, farmers and livestock breeders will get a more stable market, while village communities actively participate in the MBG program through Village-Owned Enterprises (BUMDes).

Bogor Agricultural University (IPB) launched the Center of Excellence for the MBG Program. The event was attended by the Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (Wamendiktisaintek) Fauzan, the Minister of National Development Planning/Head of Bappenas, Rachmat Pambudy, and other related officials.

Wamen Fauzan emphasized that the MBG program not only has an impact on the physical growth of children, but also supports their mental and character development.

Universities are expected to play an active role in research and evaluation of this program. Universities must take a greater role in providing solutions to problems in society, including improving nutritional quality through MBG.

Meanwhile, Rachmat Pambudy emphasized that MBG is a national priority program that can save the future generation of Indonesia. MBG not only saves pregnant women and our children, but also the future of our national development. This is part of the effort towards Golden Indonesia 2045.

Head of BGN Dadan Hindayana welcomed the launch of the MBG Center of Excellence at IPB. According to him, universities have a strategic role in improving the quality of the MBG program, especially in menu research, nutrition, and raw materials. His party welcomed the launch of the research and study center on nutritious food at IPB. This is a positive step to improve the quality of the MBG program.

Since its launch on January 13, 2025 in Sorong City, the MBG program has reached 294 schools with a total of 59,803 beneficiaries. Deputy Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Fajar Riza Ul Haq, emphasized that MBG is not just about providing food for students, but also part of a grand strategy to improve the quality of education.

Many students who previously came to school hungry can now study with more focus thanks to this program. The Principal of SD Negeri 24 Rufei, Sorong City, Sientje Martentji Ajomi, revealed that MBG has significantly increased students’ enthusiasm for learning. The same thing was conveyed by the Principal of SD Negeri 9 Sorong City, Mince Kambu, who noted that after receiving nutritious food regularly, students became more enthusiastic in learning.