GENTING is a Collaborative Strategy to Accelerate National Stunting Reduction

JAKARTA - Efforts to accelerate the reduction of stunting are still an important agenda for the government in improving the quality of human resources.

Through the Ministry of Population and Family Development (Kemendukbangga), the government has rolled out the Gerakan Orang Tua Asuh Cegah Stunting (GENTING) Program as a collaborative approach to accompany families at risk of stunting more comprehensively.

This program focuses on nutritional fulfillment, sanitation improvement, access to clean water, decent housing, and family education as a long-term prevention measure.

In its implementation, GENTING involves various cross-sectoral parties, including local governments, communities, academics, and business actors. This collaborative approach is considered important because the problem of stunting cannot be solved through a single intervention, but requires continuous assistance at the family and community levels.

In line with these efforts, PT Nestlé Indonesia received appreciation from the Ministry of Social Affairs for its participation in supporting the acceleration of stunting reduction through the Nutrition Assistance Program carried out in Karawang, Batang, and Pasuruan.

The appreciation was conveyed at the GENTING Collaboration Summit 2025 which took place in Jakarta on December 10, 2025, as an annual evaluation forum as well as strengthening synergies between stakeholders.

The GENTING program itself is one of five Quick Wins initiatives of the Ministry of Finance which was launched in December 2024 and is now entering its first year of implementation. By 2025, this program has reached more than 1.3 million beneficiaries in various regions, exceeding the initial target of one million people.

The scope of intervention includes nutritional support, sanitation, clean water, decent housing, and education for families at risk of stunting throughout Indonesia.

The Minister of Population and Family Development, Wihaji, in his remarks emphasized that accelerating the reduction of stunting requires the involvement of many parties.

"Cross-sectoral collaboration, including the role of non-governmental partners as foster parents, is an important part of strengthening the support of families at risk of stunting so that the national stunting prevalence target can be achieved," said Wihaji.

Meanwhile, Nestlé Indonesia's contribution to the program is realized through nutritional interventions for children at risk of stunting in target areas. This intervention is carried out for six months, from July 2025 to January 2026, reaching hundreds of children and involving parents, posyandu cadres, and pregnant and lactating mothers.

In addition to nutritional fulfillment, the activities are also accompanied by education on healthy eating patterns, food safety, healthy snacks, and the implementation of Healthy and Clean Living Behavior (PHBS).

President Director of Nestlé Indonesia, Georgios Badaro, said that efforts to reduce stunting need to be carried out continuously and integrated.

He assessed that meeting nutrition needs from an early age is one of the important factors in supporting children's growth and development, but it needs to be supported by family education and community support so that the impact can last in the long term.

A similar view was expressed by the Marketing Manager of PT Nestlé Indonesia, Ankur Mittal, who emphasized the importance of consistency in collaboration at the community level. According to him, changing behavior and increasing family nutrition literacy are the foundation in improving children's health status, so that the interventions carried out do not stop at short-term assistance.

"We believe that behavioral changes and increased nutritional literacy are an important foundation for improving the health status of children, including through counseling and education provided to parents. This program is proof that collaboration across stakeholders has an important role in realizing a tangible and sustainable impact," explained Ankur.

Later, the collaborative approach that integrates data-based nutritional interventions, education, and assistance is expected to continue to be strengthened.

This effort is in line with the national target of reducing the prevalence of stunting to 14.2 percent by 2029, as well as supporting the realization of a healthier and more competitive Indonesian generation.