Local Papuan Culinary Can Be A Menu In The Free Nutrition Food Program

One of the local menus that can be used as a free nutritious food menu, there are mashers, fried fish and vegetables. (ANTARA/Qadri Pratiwi)

JAKARTA - Various typical Papuan culinary delights are known for their natural foodstuffs. Not to mention the minimal recitation process makes Papuan special foods such as boiled and steamed foods often considered as healthy foods.

According to a report by the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), local food in Papua can be a menu for free nutritious food programs because the most important thing is how the nutritional adequacy rate so that the dish will closely follow preferences.

"Because through free nutritious food, it is hoped that improving the food system and farmers in Papua can produce local food," said Expert Staff to the Head of the National Nutrition Agency Ikeu Tanziha, as quoted by Antara.

According to Ikeu, the Free Nutrition Food (MBG) program has now entered a trial period at 80 points throughout Indonesia and it is hoped that by early January 2025, this program will enter an expansion phase planned to reach all provinces in Indonesia.

"Therefore, we plan to establish service units in various regions to ensure that the distribution of nutritious food is right on target, from school students to other vulnerable groups," he said.

He explained that in the early stages of this program, it will target around 15 to 20 million children throughout Indonesia, according to the budget allocation of IDR 71 trillion from the 2025 RAPBN.

"Including the Disadvantaged, Outermost and Frontier (3T) areas in Papua where we will cooperate with the local Kodim," he said again.

He added that the success of the program will be evaluated regularly, including through health indicators such as child height and weight, which are measured by nutrition workers in each service unit.

"For this reason, we collaborate with the health office and puskesmas in evaluating children's nutrition and educating for clean and healthy living behavior. All of this is done so that the program runs with maintained quality and optimal benefits," he said.