Deputy Minister for Population and Family Development, Ratu Ayu Isyana Bagoes Oka, stated on Friday that the MBG program not only addresses family nutrition needs but also prioritizes safety, with each portion tailored to individual requirements, including allergy detection.
“Children or MBG recipients with allergies have already been identified, so they will not be given food that could trigger allergic reactions. This is concrete proof of the team’s care and attention to the community,” Oka said.
During her visit to the MBG-designated kitchen of the Nutritional Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG) at Pematang Sulur I in Telanaipura District, Jambi City, on Thursday (August 21), Oka emphasized that, in line with President Prabowo Subianto’s directive, the MBG program aims to improve public well-being.
“Through the MBG program, we can directly see how people smile with joy after receiving nutritious meals from the government,” she added.
In addition to serving school-aged children, the SPPG Pematang Sulur I kitchen currently distributes 300 portions of nutritious food daily to pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and non-preschool toddlers.
The government mandates that at least 10 percent of MBG meal allocations be directed toward these vulnerable groups. The initiative is also a follow-up to an agreement between the Ministry of Population and Family Development and the National Nutrition Agency (BGN).
Beneficiaries have expressed gratitude, saying the MBG program greatly helps meet their family’s nutritional needs.
Minister Oka stressed that MBG is part of a broader national strategy to improve human capital quality, particularly during the crucial first 1,000 days of life, from ages 0–2.
“Stunting prevention is most effective during the first 1,000 days, starting from when the baby is still in the womb. Providing MBG for pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and toddlers, especially under two years old, is crucial in preventing stunting,” Oka said.
“This reflects the president’s commitment to stunting prevention and the realization of the Astacita vision,” she added.
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Translator: Lintang Budiyanti, Kuntum Khaira Riswan
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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