Straighten MBG, BGN Goals: Priority for Pregnant-Nursing Mothers, Toddlers, New School Students

JAKARTA - The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) emphasized that the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) Program is not solely intended for students.

The government instead places pregnant women, nursing mothers, and toddlers as priority groups for the program's beneficiaries.

Deputy Head of BGN Sony Sonjaya said there were still a number of foundations and implementing partners who had not fully understood the main objectives of the MBG program.

Therefore, in various activities to consolidate the MBG Program in a number of regions, his party straightened out the program's target.

The consolidation was carried out to equalize the understanding between the Head of the Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG), the foundation or MBG implementing partner, and the MBG Task Force at the district and city levels.

"At every opportunity to consolidate the MBG program in various regions, I always emphasize that the main objective of this program is to provide nutritional intake to vulnerable groups, namely pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and toddlers who are in the golden period or the First 1,000 Days of Life. After that, only the learners," he said in an official statement, Sunday, May 31.

Sony explained that the misunderstanding likely arose because the term school meal is often interpreted as a program for students only.

As a result, he said, a number of partners first focused on establishing cooperation with schools without understanding the priority of beneficiaries that had been set by the government.

In fact, continued Sony, providing nutritional intake to vulnerable groups is the core of the MBG Program.

This focus is part of the government's strategy in improving the quality of human resources from an early age.

He emphasized that all elements of the program implementation must understand and implement policies in accordance with the objectives set by the government.

"Prioritizing the provision of MBG to vulnerable groups, namely pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and toddlers, is the essence of the MBG Program as a strategic investment for the Indonesian nation. This must be truly embodied by all MBG program implementers in the field. Don't try to deviate from the main goal," said Sony.

Sony asked all parties involved in the implementation of the MBG to remind each other and monitor the program so that it continues to run according to target.

"We must maintain the purpose of this MBG Program, because this is a priority program for President Prabowo Subianto. A program with a noble goal to create a generation of Indonesians who are truly ready to fill Indonesia's Gold 2045," he said.