UI Professor Says MBG Can Improve The Quality Of Indonesian Human Resources Since Early Childhood

JAKARTA - The Free Nutrition Food Program (MBG) run by the Government since January 6, 2025 has again received support from academics. MBG is considered not only to close the gap in food access for children, but also to build a long-term foundation for the quality of Indonesian Human Resources (HR).

This assessment was conveyed by Prof. Dr. drg. Sandra Fikawati, MPH, Professor of the Ministry of Nutrition as well as Deputy Chairperson of the Center for Nutrition and Health Studies at the Faculty of Public Health, University of Indonesia. He emphasized that Indonesia's competitiveness so far cannot be separated from the lack of attention to children's nutritional intake during its growth period.

"In the past, we didn't think about the growth (children -red), that's why we were less competitive (human resources -red), because during physical and brain development we were never given nutritious food. MBG is a great opportunity, with this program our competitiveness can be better, because our human resources since childhood have been nurtured," he said, Thursday, November 27.

Prof. Fika also emphasized that the benefits of this program have an impact on increasing learning, cognitive growth, and the presence of children in schools, especially for children living in 3T (Disadvantaged, Frontier, and Outermost) areas, which so far access to nutritious food is very limited. Prof. Fika also invited all parties to support this program for the future of the nation.

"This BMBG, if possible, will be a sustainable program. Because if this program stops, we will also lose. Therefore, we must guard it," he said.

PKGK FKM UI Previously conducted independent research to find the impact of providing nutritious food. The research was carried out before MBG took place earlier this year. This simulation of nutritious food is given to 15 schools at the TK-SMP level and 1 Posyandu in Bekasi Regency, Makassar, Padang, Mempawah, Sragen, and Malang.

The results showed a decline in malnutrition status from 2 percent to 0.5 percent, as well as malnutrition less than 7.7 percent to 6.4 percent. After 15 weeks of intervention, children also experienced an average weight increase of 2 kg and an average height growth of 2.9 cm. Overall, the daily nutritional fulfillment rate (AKG) increased significantly from 69.9 percent to 93.4 percent.

In addition to providing nutritious food, elementary school students in this study were also given nutritional education. That way students' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding balanced nutrition also experienced a significant increase.

In the future, the government's MBG program will also be strengthened by strong nutritional education to its beneficiaries. From Prof. Fika's statement, the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) is currently preparing a nutritional education module with five well-known universities, one of which is with UI.

"Education to strengthen the MBG program is being formulated by BGN. This is necessary because children also need to know the benefits of food distributed in schools, as well as parents must also know," he explained.

Big preparations to strengthen nutritionists in Indonesia are being carried out by BGN with academics from various state universities.

"Now we are also preparing to open nutritional certification. This nutritionist will be in nature in addition to ensuring food safety, nutritional intake, it can also be promotive, educating the benefits of fulfilling nutrition to the community. SPPG (Wizi Program Implementing Unit) will need this nutritionist," he concluded.