Government Ensures Free Nutritious Meal Program is Right on Target
By: Andi Mahesa
Improving the quality of human resources (HR) is one of the main goals for the Indonesian government in long-term development. One way to achieve this is by improving the nutritional status of the community, especially for children and pregnant women who are vulnerable groups. In this effort, the Free Nutritious Meal Program (MBG) is one of the strategic policies that should be supported, considering its positive impact on the future of the nation’s generation.
The MBG program aims to ensure that every child in Indonesia, especially those in low-income families, gets nutritious food and supports their growth and development. Based on the latest study from the World Bank in 2024, providing nutritious food regularly has been shown to increase children’s attendance and participation in school. Not only that, this program also plays an important role in reducing malnutrition, which can lead to stunting. In developed countries, providing nutritious food to school children has also been shown to control eating patterns, which in turn can reduce the risk of obesity and diabetes at a young age.
Indonesia itself faces major challenges in terms of the nutritional status of the community, with the prevalence of stunting and malnutrition still high. However, the government through the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) has designated concrete steps to improve this condition, by making four main target groups in fulfilling national nutrition. The four groups are early childhood, children in elementary and secondary education, toddlers, and pregnant and breastfeeding mothers.
For children who are still growing, especially those in elementary and secondary schools, providing nutritious food is very important to support their learning process and cognitive development. In addition, toddlers who are vulnerable to nutritional disorders are also a priority in this program. Malnutrition during this period can cause long-term impacts that cannot be repaired, considering that the toddler period is a golden period in child growth and development.
Furthermore, pregnant and breastfeeding mothers also receive serious attention in this MBG program. Adequate nutrition for pregnant women is not only important for maintaining the health of the mother, but also for preventing pregnancy complications, premature birth, and preventing stunting in babies. Likewise with breastfeeding mothers, who need adequate nutritional intake to produce quality breast milk (ASI) for optimal baby growth and development.
Acting Director of Budget for Human Development and Humanitarian Affairs of the Directorate General of Budget, Diah Dwi Utami stated that the government has a system to monitor the nutritional status of target groups periodically. This is done to ensure that the MBG program is right on target and runs according to the expected goals. Systematic monitoring will identify groups that need further assistance, as well as reduce the potential for misuse of the program.
The importance of target accuracy in providing nutritious food was also expressed by the Director of Public Policy at the Center of Economic and Law Studies (CELIOS), Media Wahyudi Askar, that the government is running the MBG program with a target-oriented scheme, which focuses on children from underprivileged families, especially those living in remote areas with an income of less than IDR 2 million per month.
In addition, groups of toddlers, pregnant and breastfeeding mothers who need additional nutrition are also the main targets, in order to avoid potential mistargeting that can harm the program. This scheme, which is based on clear and measurable targets, is expected to ensure that assistance reaches those who really need it.
Furthermore, support and supervision from related parties at the regional level are also very important. Deputy Chairman of the Banjar DPRD, Kalimantan, Irwan Bora said that his party is committed to carrying out the supervisory function of the MBG program, by ensuring that this program can run smoothly and on target. Strict supervision and direct monitoring in the field are part of a shared responsibility to ensure that this program achieves its goals.
The MBG program is not just food assistance, but an investment for the future. By ensuring that children and pregnant women get enough nutrition, we are building a healthy and intelligent generation, which in turn will improve the quality of human resources in Indonesia. This program is a concrete step from the government to overcome the problem of nutrition which is still a major obstacle in national development. Therefore, it is time for the community to fully support this government policy.
