Jakarta (ANTARA) - Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Pratikno underscored the importance of accurate data to make stunting handling policies more targeted.

“Indonesia is too large, too diverse to implement uniform policies. To this end, data accuracy is very important,” he explained in Jakarta on Monday.

Therefore, the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture signed a cooperation pact with Statistics Indonesia (BPS) in Jakarta on Monday to integrate the National Socioeconomic Single Data (DTSEN) of BPS with data from the health and population and family development ministries.

The agreement also covers compiling indicators and field-based models for stunting, as well as simulation of AI-based interventions and development of a compilation dashboard as a tool to support policymaking.

Related news: Ministry announces 2024 stunting rate at 19.8 percent

According to Pratikno, data is a crucial element since stunting interventions cannot be made uniform across regions given the diverse demographic and geographic conditions of communities.

The minister expressed the hope that with the help of cross-sectoral data integration, more precise policies can be formulated.

Secretary of the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture Imam Machdi emphasized the importance of the cooperation agreement in supporting data integration to devise more targeted policies against stunting.

BPS Deputy Head Sonny Harry Budiutomo Harmadi highlighted the BPS’ commitment to supporting national data integration.

According to Harmadi, the DTSEN currently covers 285.8 million individuals and 93 million families and has been able to map important characteristics of families at risk of stunting.

He said that the BPS is ready to support AI utilization, in line with its role as a regional data science hub in the Asia-Pacific.

Furthermore, stunting alleviation is expected to become an important pilot project for utilizing data science for more effective policy interventions.

Related news: Ministries collaborate to update stunting data