Lack Of Partners, BGN Will Gather Papuan Regional Heads To Discuss Acceleration Of MBG Program

Free Nutrition Food (Photo: Antara)

Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Dadan Hindayana, revealed that until now the number of kitchens for the Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG) for the Free Nutrition Food Program (MBG) in the Papua region is still very minimal.

This is due to the low involvement of partners in the implementation of the program. "There are also partners who want to enter Papua. We have not coordinated intensely with local governments," Dadan told reporters at the Senayan Parliament Complex, Jakarta, Thursday, July 10.

As a concrete step to address this issue, BGN will invite all governors and regional heads throughout Papua to Jakarta this July.

The meeting aims to strengthen coordination across stakeholders as well as discuss strategies to accelerate the implementation of the MBG Program in the Papua region, which is scheduled to start in August 2025.

"Yesterday, several regents came and we agreed that on the 20s (July), we will invite all governors or all regional heads in Papua to Jakarta," said Dadan.

Previously, Dadan continued, BGN had suggested that the meeting be held in the central region of Indonesia, but Papuan regional heads chose to meet directly in Jakarta.

This is considered as a form of seriousness and commitment from local governments to accelerate the implementation of nutrition programs in their regions.

Through this meeting, BGN hopes to draw up strategic steps and strengthen collaboration with local governments to expand the reach of the MBG Program, especially in disadvantaged, frontier, and outermost (3T) areas such as Papua.

"Because they proposed (meetings) in Jakarta, we previously proposed meeting in the middle, but they proposed in Jakarta. We are coordinating with all regional heads to develop a strategy on how to accelerate nutritious food in Papua, starting in August," he said.