By: Ricky Rinaldi )*
Human resource development is the primary foundation of national progress. No country can make significant leaps without a generation that is healthy, intelligent, and competitive. In this context, the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program represents a strategic step by the government to ensure that Indonesian children receive adequate nutritional intake from an early age. This program is not merely a social policy, but a long-term investment in realizing Indonesia’s Golden Generation.
Proper nutrition is an absolute prerequisite for optimal child growth and development. Malnutrition during school age directly affects learning ability, concentration, and long-term health. The government views nutrition as a fundamental issue that must be addressed systematically. MBG is designed to respond to this challenge by ensuring equitable access to nutritious meals, particularly for children from vulnerable families.
President of the Republic of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto, has placed strengthening the quality of the younger generation as a national priority. MBG is positioned as one of the main instruments in building a foundation of superior and globally competitive human resources. The state ensures that every child has equal opportunity to grow healthy and develop optimally, without being hindered by family economic limitations.
The MBG program focuses not only on food provision, but also on measurable nutritional quality and standards. Menus are prepared by taking into account appropriate calorie, protein, vitamin, and mineral requirements according to children’s ages. This approach underscores that public policy must be based on clear data and health standards so that its benefits are truly tangible.
Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin emphasized that nutritional intervention during school age has a significant impact in preventing stunting and other long-term health problems. MBG forms part of the government’s comprehensive strategy to improve national nutritional status. This effort aligns with targets to enhance quality of life and strengthen national productivity.
Beyond health impacts, MBG also generates significant social and economic effects. The program involves local businesses, food MSMEs, and farmers as part of its supply chain. As a result, the benefits are felt not only by student recipients but also by the broader community involved in food provision. This policy demonstrates that human development can go hand in hand with strengthening the local economy.
The success of MBG requires collective oversight. Transparency, accountability, and public monitoring are essential elements to ensure the program runs according to its objectives. Participation from communities, schools, and parents is crucial in ensuring smooth distribution and maintaining food quality. A large-scale program like this requires collective commitment to maximize its impact.
Schools play a strategic role in supporting MBG implementation. Beyond serving as distribution points, schools can use this momentum to provide education on healthy eating patterns and active lifestyles. Integrated nutrition education will reinforce the program’s impact, ensuring that children not only receive nutritious meals but also understand the importance of maintaining their health.
Amid global challenges such as food crises and climate change, MBG demonstrates the state’s presence in safeguarding the future of the younger generation. The government ensures that external conditions do not become a reason to neglect children’s basic needs. In fact, during times of uncertainty, investment in nutrition and health becomes even more crucial.
Strengthening coordination among ministries and regional governments is also key to the program’s success. Solid synergy ensures that distribution is accurate in targeting, timely, and consistent in quality. This collaborative approach reflects the state’s seriousness in implementing policies that directly benefit the people.
MBG is not merely an assistance program, but a symbol of the state’s commitment to building the nation’s future. The Golden Generation 2045 will not be realized without healthy and intelligent children today. Every portion of nutritious food provided represents a concrete step toward a stronger and more competitive Indonesia.
Therefore, safeguarding the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program is a shared responsibility. Public support, constructive oversight, and active community participation will strengthen its implementation on the ground. With the spirit of mutual cooperation, every element of the nation can contribute to ensuring proper targeting, maintained quality, and real benefits for Indonesian children.
Through MBG, the state affirms that human development is the top priority in the national agenda. Quality nutrition is no longer viewed as a privilege for certain groups, but as a fundamental right guaranteed by the state. The program serves as a strategic instrument to break the chain of stunting, improve educational quality, and strengthen the health foundation of future generations.
With consistent commitment, transparent governance, and collective oversight from all stakeholders, MBG will become a solid foundation for the birth of a healthy, intelligent, productive, and globally competitive Indonesian Golden Generation. This is a long-term investment whose results will be felt across generations.
*) Strategic Issues Observer