He said the program targets school-age children up to senior high school level as well as pregnant women, with the aim of fostering a healthy and capable generation to support Indonesia’s Golden Indonesia 2045 vision.
Mu’ti delivered the statement after inaugurating an MBG kitchen at Campus IV of North Sumatra Muhammadiyah University in Deli Serdang District, North Sumatra, on Monday, Feb. 16. He highlighted the program’s role across three critical stages of early development.
The minister outlined the pre-birth stage during pregnancy, the golden period from birth to five years of age, and the subsequent stage of growth and development.
“During these crucial stages, adequate nutritional intake is essential. The MBG program intervenes during the golden phase by providing support for breastfeeding mothers and pregnant women,” he said.
North Sumatra Deputy Governor Surya, who accompanied the minister, emphasized the importance of ensuring that the national priority program effectively meets nutritional needs during those three developmental stages.
He said regional progress depends largely on how well human resources are nurtured.
“This is fundamentally about children’s growth. Healthy children can learn better, and with adequate nutrition, they can develop into a strong generation capable of strengthening the nation. That is the core objective of the MBG program,” Surya said.
The deputy governor also expressed support for accelerating the development of additional kitchens, noting that the program aligns with the province’s broader development agenda.
“Infrastructure and economic growth alone are not enough. Meeting the public’s nutritional needs through MBG is equally important as an investment in education, health, and the economy,” he said.
Launched on Jan. 6 last year, the MBG program has served more than 60 million people nationwide, supported by around 21,000 kitchens. The number of beneficiaries is targeted to reach 82 million this year, alongside the expansion of additional kitchen facilities.
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Translator: M. Said, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Primayanti
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