Jakarta – The Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program, a mainstay of President Prabowo Subianto, has a noble goal. The government wants to save the nation’s children from malnutrition.
Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin emphasized that the MBG program is not about food distribution, but rather a long-term health strategy. He stated that the quality of children’s nutrition determines the quality of the nation’s health, including reducing stunting rates and improving maternal and infant health.
“If our children’s nutrition is good, health problems will decrease by 30% to 50%. Therefore, I am very interested in the success of the MBG program,” explained BGS, Budi Gunadi Sadikin’s nickname.
Supporting this statement, the Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Dadan Hindayana, ensured that the implementation and development of the MBG program was aimed at saving future generations and creating a quality generation.
He explained that the MBG program is expected to address the nutritional needs of Indonesian children, particularly the 60% of children from underprivileged and vulnerable families. This group still faces challenges in accessing balanced, nutritious food sources.
“The BPS (Central Statistics Agency) survey yielded data on household members that reflect Indonesia’s demographic structure. Indonesia’s population growth is supported by families with an average education of nine years. Therefore, it’s no surprise that 60% of our children still don’t have optimal access to a balanced nutritional diet,” he explained.
Dadan revealed that these children are spread across densely populated areas such as West Java, Central Java, East Java, and Jakarta.
“That is our target,” added Dadan.
In its first year, the MBG program has achieved remarkable results. By September 26, 2025, more than 1.1 billion portions of nutritious food had been served to Indonesians. This figure is not just a statistic, but a concrete demonstration of the government’s efforts to empower the next generation.
The MBG program targets priority groups in need of nutritional support, including school children, toddlers, and pregnant and breastfeeding mothers. According to data from the National Development Planning Agency (BGN), 28 million school children, 920,000 toddlers, and 466,000 pregnant and breastfeeding mothers benefit from the MBG.
