"It should be noted that the MBG is not designed to fully meet daily nutritional needs," BGN Deputy Head Nanik Sudaryati Deyang said in Jakarta on Monday.
She made the statement in response to public concerns that the nutritional value of MBG menus falls below recommended levels.
Deyang explained that MBG menus are tailored to the energy, protein, carbohydrate, and micronutrient requirements of different recipient groups.
She said the program also aims to encourage the habit of consuming healthy and nutritious food as part of efforts to produce high-quality human resources in the future.
Deyang also addressed social media narratives questioning whether the initiative is supported by clear technical guidelines.
"All technical details regarding the implementation of the MBG program are openly accessible to the public. The document has been uploaded to BGN's official website for reference," she said.
She added that the guidelines cover operational standards for MBG kitchens, food processing, food safety, and the nutritional composition of each menu.
Deyang expressed hope that public discussions about the program would rely on official information to ensure constructive debate.
Introduced as one of President Prabowo Subianto's priority programs on January 6 last year, the MBG initiative has served 61.2 million people nationwide as of March 3.
The beneficiaries include schoolchildren, toddlers, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers.
Prabowo has instructed the government to expand the program to about 83 million beneficiaries by the end of 2026.
Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf said the program is also expected to reach around 400,000 elderly people and about 36,000 persons with disabilities this year.
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Translator: Lintang B, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Anton Santoso
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