Jakarta (ANTARA) - Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) Dadan Hindayana is calling for innovative menus in the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program, aiming for high-quality meals at affordable prices through collaboration between nutritionists and professional chefs.
In an official statement in Jakarta on Thursday, he noted that innovation in the meals provided is key, especially during Ramadan, which requires the food to not only be nutritious and fresh, but also have a longer shelf life.
Hindayana also highlighted the rapid expansion of Nutrition Fulfillment Service Units (SPPGs) or MBG kitchens over the past year. During Ramadan last year, there were only around 1,000 units, but that number has now surged to approximately 25,000 across Indonesia.
According to him, the significant increase in the number of operating kitchens brings challenges in maintaining consistent service quality.
While a small number of SPPGs have drawn public scrutiny, he considers this within a reasonable margin given the total number of operating units.
In this regard, the BGN head emphasized that evaluation and improvement will continue to be carried out to ensure MBG services remain consistent across all regions.
"We must continue to make internal improvements so that quality is uniform and not a single SPPG deviates from the technical guidelines and SOPs that have been set," he remarked.
Targeting 82.9 million beneficiaries nationwide, the MBG program was launched in early 2025 to improve the nutritional status of children under five, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and schoolchildren up to the high school level.
The government is expanding the program this year to include older adults and persons with disabilities.
