The first is better nutritionJakarta (ANTARA) - Three "betters" — better nutrition, better behavior, and better collaboration — could help maintain food security and create a healthy generation, Head of the National Food Agency (Bapanas), Arief Prasetyo Adi said.
He delivered the remarks at the United Nations Food Systems Summit +2 Stocktaking Moment (UNFSS+2) in Rome, Italy.
"The first is better nutrition. Indonesia will continue to benefit from the demographic bonus, in which the number of young people and productive age groups is increasing. Therefore, the food system transformation is being encouraged to fulfill healthy, diverse, safe, and nutritionally balanced food (intake)," he said in a statement received here on Tuesday.
A balanced nutrition intake from a young age is vital since it can influence growth, development, knowledge, and habits, and also determine the quality of life of Indonesia's younger generation.
According to Adi, the effort to improve nutrition is based on Indonesian President Joko Widodo's directive to bring stunting prevalence below 14 percent in 2024.
The second "better," namely better behavior, is based on an analysis of the expected food pattern, which shows that the quality of food consumed by the Indonesian people still needs to be improved, especially in terms of the consumption of fruits, vegetables, tubers, and nuts, he said.
Therefore, Bapanas has initiated a program entitled "Education Movement and Providing Nutritious Food for Students" that seeks to promote healthy eating and the diversification of food as well as the B2SA national food campaign to promote "Diverse, Balanced Nutrition, and Safe" food intake to change the food consumption patterns of the Indonesian people.
In addition, through better collaboration, Bapanas is encouraging several collaboration efforts that need to be augmented at the international, national, and regional levels, he noted.
"Rome-based (agencies)/RBAs collaboration at the country level like this must continue to be improved as an effort to overcome malnutrition by providing a healthy diet for children as an integral part of the existing food system," Adi said.
Indonesia will consistently accelerate and leverage efforts to ensure healthy eating for children, he added. In the future, these programs will continue to be perfected and adapted based on local wisdom and the conditions of society in Indonesia.
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Translator: Kuntum Khaira R, Resinta S
Editor: Sri Haryati
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