After opening the activity in Biak on Friday, Fransisco Olla, an expert staff member to the Biak District Head, emphasized that MBG food handlers are required to demonstrate proficiency in food safety and quality, as evidenced by certification.
"It should be noted that food handlers play a crucial role in ensuring that the meals served for schoolchildren and the public are safe, of high quality, and meet the nutritional needs of beneficiaries," he pointed out.
On that note, Olla stressed the importance of food handlers strictly complying with safety and hygiene requirements throughout the entire process—from preparation, cooking, and storage to distribution and serving—to avoid food degradation and poisoning.
Meanwhile, UNICEF Indonesia representative Dwi Kristanto explained that the two-day capacity-building activity was dedicated to training food handlers serving in three MBG kitchens operating in Biak Numfor’s Samofa region.
President Prabowo Subianto introduced the MBG program as a national flagship initiative designed to boost the nation’s nutritional intake, improve human resource quality, strengthen food security, and stimulate local economies.
Since its launch on January 6 this year, the program has catered to around 44 million schoolchildren, breastfeeding mothers, pregnant women, and toddlers across the country, with about 15 thousand MBG kitchens established.
The broader target is for the program to reach 82.9 million citizens by March 2026.
In order to minimize safety risks following reports of food poisoning cases in several regions, President Prabowo ordered the BGN and relevant institutions to take measures to enforce stricter standards and requirements for all parties involved in the program.
The measures include strengthening the capacity of food handlers through food safety training programs. Beyond Biak Numfor, similar activities have been held in Jakarta, West Java, and South Sulawesi, among others.
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Translator: Muhsidin, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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