By: Kusnandar Disastra )*
The Free Nutritional Meal Priority Program (MBG) initiated by the government continues to attract public attention, not only because of its large scale, but also because of its strategic impact on the nation’s future. This program is not simply an effort to fulfill nutritional needs, but also a long-term investment in developing healthy, intelligent, and productive Indonesian human resources. To achieve this goal, synergy between institutions is key to ensuring the safe, effective, and on-target implementation of the MBG.
The Head of the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM), Taruna Ikrar, emphasized that the government continues to strengthen joint measures to ensure the implementation of the MBG provides real benefits to the community. According to him, the MBG is a crucial program involving three key institutions: the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), the Ministry of Health, and BPOM. This collaboration is not merely administrative coordination, but a manifestation of the government’s real commitment to ensuring the safety and quality of food distributed to beneficiaries.
Taruna Ikrar highlighted the importance of food safety in the implementation of the MBG. As a supervisory agency, the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) plays a role in ensuring that every food received by the public meets strict quality and safety standards. He also emphasized that the success of this program is not only measured by the number of beneficiaries, but also by the extent to which nutrition and food safety can improve the quality of human resources.
Indonesia has an extraordinary demographic bonus. However, this enormous potential will only be realized if the younger generation grows up healthy and strong, both physically and cognitively. Therefore, the MBG program is a strategic step to ensure that Indonesian children receive balanced nutrition that supports optimal growth and development. He believes that for this program to run optimally, support and input from all stakeholders is essential, including those in the education sector, the health sector, and the general public.
Echoing this sentiment, Dadan Hindayana, Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), emphasized the importance of cross-sector synergy in implementing the MBG. He stated that the collaboration between BPOM and BGN encompasses a complementary division of roles. BPOM focuses on mitigating food safety risks, while BGN is responsible for ensuring that the nutritional needs of each beneficiary are met. This clear division of roles strengthens the program’s foundation, ensuring its systematic and accountable implementation.
Beneficiaries of the MBG program include vulnerable groups such as pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, unborn children, and high school students. This group is the main foundation for the quality of the nation’s next generation, so no one should be left behind in receiving the program’s benefits. However, he acknowledged that approximately 70 percent of beneficiaries have not yet received their full entitlements. Therefore, the National Agency for National Development Planning (BGN) is conducting a comprehensive evaluation, updating standard operating procedures (SOPs), tightening supervision, and expediting the distribution process to ensure the program is more targeted.
This BGN step demonstrates the government’s commitment to providing responsive and results-oriented public services. When all elements work with the principles of collaboration and integrity, the potential for data leaks, misdirected distribution, or misuse of funds can be minimized.
Meanwhile, Rita Ramayulis, Chair of the Indonesian Sport Nutritionist Association (ISNA), assessed that providing nutritious food through the MBG program has a broad impact on Indonesia’s human resource development. She stated that nutrition is a key factor in increasing the nation’s productivity and competitiveness. However, she cautioned that the biggest challenge currently lies not only in the technical aspects of implementation, but also in the low level of public understanding of the program’s urgency.
Rita believes that the rejection or hesitation regarding the MBG in some regions may be due to a lack of public information and education about the importance of nutritious food. Many people do not yet understand that this program is not just food aid, but part of the government’s broader strategy to improve the quality of life of citizens from an early age. Therefore, she emphasized the need for simultaneous and continuous strengthening of public communication.
Public communication must target all elements of the MBG ecosystem, from children and parents to schools, food organizers and providers, to the media and influencers. Only with an inclusive and continuous communication approach will the public understand the strategic value of the MBG and actively participate in its success.
Overall, inter-agency synergy and community involvement are key to the sustainability of the MBG program. The government, through the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM), the National Agency for National Development Planning (BGN), and the Ministry of Health, has demonstrated its commitment toconcrete steps by strengthening the monitoring system, improving governance, and expanding the scope of public education. However, the true success of this program will depend heavily on the collective awareness of all parties in maintaining the sustainability and transparency of implementation on the ground.
The MBG program represents a concrete manifestation of the state’s presence in ensuring that every citizen, especially the younger generation, has the basic right to adequate nutrition. Amid global challenges such as food inflation, climate change, and social inequality, this policy serves as a concrete example of how human development is a top priority for the government.
Therefore, all elements of the nation, including government institutions, academics, the private sector, and the wider community, need to continue strengthening synergy and collaboration. This support is crucial to ensuring that the MBG implementation runs safely, is on target, and provides long-term benefits for the Indonesian nation. With togetherness and collective responsibility, Indonesia can produce a golden generation that is healthy, intelligent, and ready to compete on the world stage.
)* Observer of National Nutrition Standards, West Java Region