Government Consistently Present to Guarantee Hygienic and Nutritious MBG
By: Jodi Mahendra
The government has shown a strong commitment to ensuring the implementation of the Free Nutritious Meal Program (MBG) that is hygienic and nutritious. This program is intended to improve the nutritional status of the community, especially children and vulnerable groups, in order to create a healthy and productive generation. The MBG program, which has been implemented since January 6, 2025, has operated 190 MBG kitchens in 26 provinces. Each kitchen is managed by a Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG) consisting of a unit head, nutritionists, and administrative staff.
The MBG program targets various community groups such as toddlers, school children, Islamic boarding school students, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers. The food menu is designed to meet 20 – 25 percent of daily nutritional needs in the morning and 30 – 35 percent at noon, in accordance with the daily Nutritional Adequacy Rate (AKG) standards.
In order to ensure food safety, the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia emphasizes the importance of monitoring food quality. As an anticipatory step against potential food safety risks, the government refers to historical data from 2024 that shows challenges in this sector, to then strengthen hygiene and sanitation standards in the MBG. This finding is an important basis for the government to further improve hygiene and sanitation standards in the implementation of the MBG.
To prevent similar incidents, the Ministry of Health issued a Circular on Support for the Implementation, Guidance, and Supervision of Ready-to-Eat Processed Food Safety. In the circular, providers of free nutritious food are required to have a Certificate of Hygiene Sanitation (SLHS) obtained through the Online Single Submission (OSS) system. In addition, providers are also required to store food samples for 2×24 hours in the freezer in anticipation of potential food safety problems.
The Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) is also actively involved in supervising the quality of MBG food. The Head of BPOM, Taruna Ikrar, said that the institution he leads is ready to support the success of the program through supervision of food quality and safety. To strengthen cross-sector synergy, BPOM and the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) have signed a memorandum of understanding on January 23, 2025 to strengthen cooperation in monitoring the MBG program. This support also came from the Ministry of Trade through the Coordinating Minister for Food, Zulkifli Hasan, who said that food safety must be guaranteed so that the benefits of the program can be maximized.
The MBG program received full support from the central government through the allocation of funds of IDR 71 trillion from the 2025 State Budget. The funds were used for food procurement and distribution, distribution supervision, as well as educational and promotional activities regarding the importance of consuming nutritious food. Apart from the central government, enthusiasm also came from local governments who voluntarily budgeted contributions of up to IDR 2.5 trillion to support the implementation of the program. The participating regions are also committed to empowering local economic potential, especially farmers, fishermen, and MSMEs who provide the main food ingredients for the MBG kitchen.
In addition to food distribution, the MBG program is also designed as a means of educating the public about the importance of a healthy and balanced diet. Through this approach, it is hoped that the community will not only become beneficiaries, but also have a better understanding of daily nutritional needs and eating patterns that support long-term health. This program also encourages the involvement of local communities and community leaders in supporting changes in consumption behavior at the grassroots level.
According to the Head of the National Nutrition Agency, Dadan Hindayana, the MBG program is a strategic step in improving national nutritional status and creating a long-term impact on the quality of human resources. He said that the success of this program was strengthened through the provision of evenly distributed food and nutritional education that was consistently improved.
Meanwhile, the Head of BPOM Taruna Ikrar said that supervision of food safety is crucial in ensuring that the food provided is truly safe and fit for consumption. On the other hand, the Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan emphasized the importance of cross-agency supervision so that the entire process of procurement and distribution of nutritious food takes place with high accountability.
The MBG program is real proof that the government is present in guaranteeing the right to nutritious food for the entire community, especially those in the most vulnerable groups. With a strict monitoring system, large budget support, and synergy between institutions, MBG is projected to be able to bring about significant changes in efforts to overcome stunting, malnutrition, and national food security.
