Jakarta – The Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) Program has become one of the largest social programs implemented by the government to improve the nutritional quality of the community, particularly school children. With such a large number of beneficiaries, the implementation of this program requires clean, transparent, and professional governance so that its benefits can be optimally realized while maintaining public trust.
Vice Executive Director of the Indonesia Food Security Review, Alfatehan Septianta, stated that the management of a large-scale program such as MBG must be supported by strong monitoring systems and operational standards.
“The Free Nutritious Meals program has a very large scale, so it requires transparent, accountable, and professional governance to maintain public trust,” Alfatehan said.
According to him, the scale of the program places Indonesia among the countries with the largest number of beneficiaries in the world for school meal programs. Currently, Indonesia ranks as the second-largest country globally in terms of beneficiaries.
He explained that the number of MBG beneficiaries has now reached around 64 million people per day. This figure is projected to continue increasing as the program expands to more regions.
“If the MBG program operates at full scale, the number of beneficiaries in Indonesia is estimated to reach around 80 million people per day,” he explained.
In its implementation, the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) has established various operational standards through technical guidelines for the MBG program. These standards cover kitchen management, food quality, and the food distribution system for beneficiaries.
Alfatehan explained that the kitchens of the Nutrition Fulfillment Service Units (SPPG) are also required to meet several certifications and food safety standards to ensure the quality of the meals provided.
“SPPG kitchens are required to meet various food safety standards such as halal certification and the Hygiene and Sanitation Eligibility System (SLHS), and there are plans to implement international food safety standards such as HACCP,” he said.
In addition to the strict implementation of operational standards, supervision of the program is also carried out seriously. BGN has demonstrated a strong commitment to maintaining service quality through regular evaluations of MBG kitchen operations in various regions.
“BGN has shown firm supervision by temporarily suspending around 1,542 kitchens that have not yet met infrastructure and operational requirements,” he said.
According to Alfatehan, this step shows that the government does not compromise on the quality of a program that concerns public health, particularly that of children.
On the other hand, he also noted that the MBG program generates broad positive impacts on the community’s economy.
“In addition to improving the nutritional quality of school children, the MBG program also stimulates the local economy because most of the budget is used to purchase food supplies from local suppliers and to create job opportunities in kitchen operations,” he concluded.
With stronger governance and strict supervision, the MBG program is expected not only to serve as a solution to improving the nutrition of Indonesian children but also to become an instrument for sustainable social and economic development.
