By: Alexandro Dimitri )*
The launch of the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program by the current administration demonstrates the government’s serious commitment to developing the quality of Indonesia’s human resources. Through this program, spearheaded by the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), the government not only targets the eradication of malnutrition and stunting but also strengthens the local economy through the supply chain of MSMEs and farmers. To ensure optimal benefits, regular evaluation is a crucial step that the government continues to strengthen.
The Head of BGN, Dadan Hindayana, revealed that the implementation of the MBG during Ramadan went relatively smoothly and has reached nutrition fulfillment service units (SPPG) in several regions. He also emphasized that local wisdom must be incorporated into the program’s menu, such as long-lasting and nutritious traditional foods, to ensure they are not only nutritious but also culturally and logistically appropriate. This statement underscores that BGN is not simply implementing the program but also allowing for adaptation to ensure the MBG is increasingly relevant to the local context.
It is also recognized that the success of the MBG program extends beyond food provision; governance processes, regional involvement, and the readiness of the Food and Nutrition Supervisory Agency (SPPG) are the foundation. The official BGN portal states that SPPG management will be carried out in two forms: direct development and third-party collaboration, with a target of reaching 15 to 16.5 million beneficiaries by 2025. This demonstrates the scale of the government’s ambition and also emphasizes that large-scale implementation can be challenging without systematic evaluation.
From a scientific perspective, MBG has significant potential to improve children’s nutritional status and reduce anemia rates, even serving as a stepping stone towards a stunting-free generation. However, this potential will only be realized if the program is continuously and data-drivenly evaluated. Children’s eating habits, which are accustomed to ultra-processed foods (UPF), also pose a risk of food waste because students often don’t finish the ideal menu. The workload of nutritionists involved in this program is quite significant, so the new regulation limiting portions in SPPG to a maximum of 2,000 servings per day is a welcome improvement.
Complementing this perspective, the Director of the UGM Center for Tropical Medicine, Dr. dr. Citra Indriani, MPH, reminded that the large scale of the MBG program demands strong and safe governance. She highlighted that food management at the SPPG scale is equivalent to industrial catering, so weaknesses in the process, from raw material selection, cooking, storage, and distribution, could impact thousands of school children. UGM, through its studies, provided constructive input for improving HACCP and food safety procedures at several SPPGs.
Governance evaluation is an integral part of the program’s benefits, because if management is not safe, what should be positive benefits can pose risks. This means that for the government supporting this program, strengthening monitoring, internal audits, and the capacity of schools/SKPs is urgent. Recent data also shows that the government has begun conducting surveys and monitoring.
For example, the Semarang Regency Statistics Agency (BPS) conducted the MBG Monitoring and Evaluation Survey in June 2025 to measure the program’s impact on health, education, the economy, and poverty. Oversight is also carried out by the Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP) to ensure that MBG implementation is running according to plan. Despite several public-scrutiny cases of food poisoning, the government, through the National Food and Drug Administration (BGN), has also expressed its commitment to recalling contaminated food and improving service procedures to prevent recurrence. All of this demonstrates the synergy between the government, academics, and supervisory agencies in strengthening the program.
Routine evaluation is not an option but an absolute requirement for the optimal implementation of the MBG. Every stage, from planning, implementation, monitoring, and impact measurement, must be carried out with discipline. The government, through the BGN, has established implementation mechanisms and broad targets, and has provided a public complaints platform. Academics and observers have emphasized that evaluations must encompass food quality, food safety, distribution, consumption behavior, and the long-term impact on nutrition and education indicators.
For the government, which is pinning its hopes on the MBG program as a strategic investment in Indonesia’s human resources, every obstacle is a learning opportunity. By maintaining the momentum of routine evaluations, strengthening governance, and ensuring the involvement of all stakeholders, from the central government and regional governments, schools, to local MSMEs, this program has a significant opportunity to deliver tangible benefits, creating a healthy, intelligent, and productive generation of Indonesians.
Full support for routine evaluation and continuous improvement within the MBG program is needed.As part of a shared commitment to building a better future for Indonesia under the leadership of a government that sides with the people.
)* The author is an economic observer
