By: Citra Kurnia Khudori)*
The Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program initiated by the Prabowo-Gibran administration is not just a social policy, but a strategic investment for the nation’s future. By providing nutrition from an early age, this program builds a healthy, intelligent, and productive generation.
Meeting adequate nutritional needs has proven to be a key foundation for improving the quality of human resources. By reaching children in schools, the MBG strengthens social resilience while reducing economic disparities. The MBG is considered more than just an aid program; it also represents the government’s long-term vision for achieving sustainable human development. Through this policy, Indonesia is planting the seeds of progress that will be reaped by future generations.
By making access to nutritious food a basic right and a long-term investment, the Free Nutritional Meal Program is considered capable of bringing significant change to the nation’s future. Its impact is seen not only in health and education figures, but also in national productivity and global competitiveness. In fact, the program’s success will be key to realizing the vision of Golden Indonesia 2045, creating a smart, healthy, and productive generation capable of competing globally.
The Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Dadan Hindayana, once stated that the MBG program is considered a long-term investment in human resources, where nutrition is a crucial part of children’s growth. Indonesia is not the only country implementing a nutritious meal program for schoolchildren. In the United States, this program is known as the National School Lunch Program. India implements the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, while countries in Africa are developing the Homegrown School Feeding model.
A 2024 World Bank study found that nutritious meal programs can improve student attendance, learning participation, and reduce stunting rates. In developed countries, these programs can even reduce the risk of obesity and diabetes from an early age. Specifically regarding stunting, President Prabowo is strongly committed to eradicating it as part of efforts to create healthy, intelligent, and competitive Indonesian human resources.
Stunting, child nutrition, and the nation’s future are closely intertwined and influence each other. Adequate nutrition during critical growth periods is vital for stunting prevention. Stunting prevention itself, ultimately, determines a nation’s future through the quality of the human resources it produces. Therefore, the MBG program and policies to reduce stunting must be aligned.
Recently, Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka also held discussions with Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin regarding the expansion of the MBG program to reduce stunting. In his remarks, Vice President Gibran outlined several strategic steps to accelerate the reduction in stunting prevalence in Indonesia. Vice President Gibran emphasized the need for early intervention for pregnant women to build a healthy foundation for future generations. This intervention can be implemented through improvements to the MBG program, which is a key pillar of improving community nutrition.
Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin then stated that although the program is currently focused on school children, the government plans to expand its target audience to include pregnant women and toddlers. Budi explained that the MBG program is also ideal for pregnant women and children under five. In the next two or three years, the MBG program is planned to be included in the stunting program. Budi explained that the key to reducing stunting lies in nutritional interventions starting during pregnancy. He emphasized that improving the nutrition of pregnant women through synergy with programs like the MBG program will be a key pillar in accelerating stunting elimination in Indonesia. This will enable Indonesia to realize its vision of a Golden Indonesia 2045, supported by healthy, intelligent, and productive human resources.
The MBG program is concrete evidence of the government’s commitment to developing the Indonesian people and protecting them from the root causes of nutritional problems. With cross-ministerial synergy and community support, this program can serve as a crucial guideline for realizing Indonesia’s golden generation. For future improvements, consistent, data-driven implementation will ensure that the benefits of the MBG are felt equally by all levels of society. The government needs to continue strengthening oversight and collaboration to ensure that the allocated budget is truly invested to generate long-term impacts in improving human resource quality.
By making nutrition a national development priority, the Prabowo-Gibran administration has laid a strong foundation for the nation’s progress. The MBG program is not just about feeding, but about preparing a healthy, resilient, and globally competitive future for Indonesia. Furthermore, the sustainability and success of the MBG will be an important legacy of the Prabowo-Gibran administration in creating a healthy, intelligent, and productive Indonesia, as well as a key foundation for realizing the vision of a Golden Indonesia 2045.
)* Observer of socio-economic issues