JAKARTA – The central government, through the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), continues to accelerate the implementation of the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) Program across all regions of Indonesia. This strong commitment was evident during the second wave of the Regional Heads Retreat held at the IPDN campus in West Java.
The Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Dadan Hindayana, directly conveyed the urgency of accelerating the program to the regional leaders. Human resource development is one of the main focuses of this acceleration. The government will launch a special training program for MBG personnel starting this July.
“Yes, of course, the acceleration of the MBG program was emphasized. Because the three key components of nutritious meals are: budget, human resources, and infrastructure,” said Dadan.
He also stressed that 3T regions (underdeveloped, frontier, and outermost) will be prioritized by deploying personnel who will have undergone three months of training.
“By the end of July, they will be ready for deployment, and real acceleration will begin to take place by late July or early August,” Dadan added.
Furthermore, Dadan explained that the messages delivered during the retreat were consistent with previous guidance to local leaders, including the emphasis on three key roles that local governments can play in the implementation of the MBG program.
A similar effort is also being made by the Padang Panjang City Government. The Deputy Mayor of Padang Panjang, Allex, called on all relevant offices to promptly implement the MBG program so it can begin as soon as possible.
“Expedite the MBG program. If possible, it should be up and running by the fourth week of June and executed properly according to plan,” Allex asserted.
Meanwhile, Padang Panjang Regional Secretary, Sonny, noted that three sites have been prepared for the construction of MBG kitchens in response to BGN’s request.
“Two locations are planned in Bancalaweh, and another at the Rusunawa. Meanwhile, six other sites will be developed by private sector partners,” he stated.
From the legislative side, strong support for the effectiveness of the MBG program also came from Member of Commission X of the House of Representatives (DPR RI), Ledia Hanifa Amaliah, who emphasized the importance of affirmative action for 3T areas so that issues of malnutrition and stunting can be comprehensively addressed.
“3T areas—underdeveloped, frontier, and outermost—truly need affirmative support so that the daily nutritional needs of children can be adequately met,” said Ledia.
She also stressed the importance of managing food waste generated by the program to prevent new problems in school environments.
“Whether it’s through maggot processing, composting, or other means, proper waste management must be prepared so that it doesn’t pile up and become a new source of issues,” Ledia concluded.
This cross-sector commitment reflects the central and local governments’ serious effort to establish the Free Nutritious Meals Program as a foundational step in building a healthy and high-quality generation, especially in regions most in need of attention.