Jakarta – The Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program, which has become a key priority for the current government, is expected to bring wide-ranging benefits for the community, particularly in the effort to reduce stunting rates in Indonesia. The program provides nutritious meals to pregnant women, toddlers, and schoolchildren through the establishment of MBG kitchens across various regions.
Member of the House of Representatives’ Commission IX, Lucy Kurniasari, highlighted the main challenge in implementing this program, particularly in the construction of MBG kitchens. The establishment of these kitchens aims to bring nutritious food closer to beneficiaries. The government targets the creation of 30,000 MBG kitchens across Indonesia by 2026.
As a non-ministerial state institution, the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) is committed to supporting the MBG program to improve the quality of life for the population. Lucy emphasized the importance of equitable nutrition to realize the vision of Indonesia Emas 2045. “We want to ensure there are no more pregnant women at high risk or children suffering from malnutrition in Surabaya. When nutrition is distributed equitably, we will be ready to achieve Indonesia Emas 2045,” she said.
Public policy expert, Agus Pambagio, suggested that the MBG program should focus on areas with high stunting rates. He argued that this approach is essential to ensure budget allocation remains balanced and does not jeopardize other critical programs for the community. He recommended a phased implementation, especially in regions with high stunting prevalence, such as Ambon, NTT, and Aceh.
“In my opinion, free nutritious meals should be prioritized for areas with high stunting rates. For the initial stage, it doesn’t need to be done every day, perhaps just one day a week,” explained Agus.
In line with this, the Head of the Population and Family Development Ministry (Kemendukbangga) Representative in the Riau Islands Province, Rohina, emphasized the importance of this program in stunting prevention. According to her, ensuring that schoolchildren receive nutritious food is a strategic step in building a healthier generation.
“Prevention includes providing nutritious food, especially for schoolchildren as currently planned by Mr. Prabowo,” said Rohina. By ensuring children receive adequate nutrition from an early age, they have a greater chance of growing up with good health and becoming healthy parents in the future.
Rohina added that if this program is implemented consistently and accurately, it could lead to a faster reduction in stunting rates. “Pregnant women with good nutrition have a smaller chance of giving birth to stunted children,” she said.
The Free Nutritious Meal program is expected to become an effective solution to address nutritional issues in Indonesia. With cooperation from various parties, this program is hoped to create a healthier and higher-quality generation, contributing to Indonesia Emas 2045.
