Jakarta – Since its introduction last year, the Free Nutritious Meals Program (MBG) has garnered significant attention from both the government and the people of Indonesia.
President Prabowo Subianto emphasized the importance of this program to ensure that all Indonesian children have access to proper nutritious meals.
The MBG program is focused on providing nutritious food in schools, pesantren (Islamic boarding schools), and distributing nutritional aid for toddlers, as well as pregnant or breastfeeding mothers at risk of stunting.
Acting Director of Human Development and Humanitarian Budget at the Directorate General of Budget, Diah Dwi Utami, stressed that this program is not only beneficial for individual health but also for the national economy.
“Good nutrition is not just about health. It is also about accelerating economic growth and creating job opportunities,” she said.
However, Diah acknowledged the significant challenges that remain. “Indonesia is still facing the triple burden of malnutrition, namely stunting, obesity, and micronutrient deficiencies. This is an issue we cannot ignore,” she explained.
She pointed out that approximately 4.5 million Indonesian children still suffer from stunting, which impacts their physical and cognitive development.
To ensure the program’s success, the government has allocated a budget of IDR 71 trillion in the 2025 state budget (APBN).
Director General of Budget at the Ministry of Finance, Isa Rachmatawarta, emphasized that the funding has been carefully planned.
“The MBG program is already included in the 2025 state budget. The budget allocation is IDR 71 trillion, so it will not increase the fiscal deficit,” said Isa.
Of this total budget, IDR 51.5 trillion will be used to provide nutritious food for the program’s beneficiaries. The program aims to reach 17.9 million people, including 15.5 million schoolchildren and 2.4 million pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, as well as toddlers.
Presidential Communications Office spokesperson, Adita Irawati, highlighted the importance of improving the quality of meals within the program.
“We will continue to improve the food menu to meet the nutritional adequacy requirements. This is a top priority for us,” Adita said.
She emphasized that the implementation of the MBG program is not just about providing food, but also ensuring the right balance of nutrients needed by the people.
“Nutrition balance is very important. We want the people to be not only full but also healthy,” she added.
With significant budget allocation and the government’s full attention, the MBG program is expected to be an effective solution to address malnutrition and stunting in Indonesia.
