The Head of the National Nutrition Agency (Boch), Nanik S. Deyang,\nhas stated that her agency will shift the implementation focus of the\nFree Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme, prioritising budget efficiency and\nservice quality improvements over merely expanding the number of\nkitchens and beneficiaries. Following her inauguration by President\nPrabowo Subianto at the Merdeka Palace on Monday, Nanik revealed that\nthe first step taken is a temporary moratorium on the opening of new\nkitchens.<\/p>\n
This policy aims to ensure the programme continues without increasing\nthe state budget burden, while providing space for the government to\nevaluate the distribution of currently operational kitchens. According\nto Nanik, there are currently 27,877 operational kitchen points\nregistered via virtual accounts. However, the government intends to\nensure that the number and distribution of kitchens truly align with the\nneeds of each region.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are pausing that for now. We will reorganise. We will assess\nwhether these kitchens can effectively serve the existing beneficiaries\nor if there is actually an excess,\u201d said Nanik. The evaluation will\nfocus on the equitable distribution of services across regions, as the\nBGN notes that kitchen concentration is currently high in Java,\nnecessitating restructuring before deciding on new registrations or\nconstructions.<\/p>\n
In addition to the moratorium, the BGN will also refocus its\nbeneficiary targets. Nanik believes nutritional intervention programmes\nmust be more precisely targeted, prioritising groups in genuine need.\nShe noted that schools in affluent areas may not require the same level\nof intervention as regions facing nutritional issues. Consequently, the\nBGN will re-evaluate the target of 63 million beneficiaries.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, the BGN will tighten the quality supervision of MBG\nkitchens. By 2026, Nanik stated that the agency will no longer focus\nsolely on quantity but will ensure all kitchens meet established\noperational standards. Existing kitchens will be evaluated and\ncategorised based on capacity and service quality through a grading\nsystem, allowing the government to determine which kitchens can serve\n3,000, 2,000, or 1,000 beneficiaries.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, the BGN is preparing a new approach for\nunderdeveloped, frontier, and outermost (3T) regions. Nanik revealed\nthat the government is striving to reduce dependence on the State Budget\n(APBN) by partnering with investors, corporate social responsibility\n(CSR) programmes, and various grants. In remote areas, new kitchen\nconstruction is not always necessary; existing facilities such as school\ncanteens or company-owned communal kitchens can be utilised to support\nthe MBG programme.<\/p>\n
Nanik cited an example in West Lombok where a school had only 119\nstudents, making a new kitchen inefficient, but the existing canteen\ncould be used instead. A similar scheme could be applied in areas like\nRaja Ampat, which has limited student numbers but possesses communal\nkitchen facilities from corporate CSR programmes. Through this method,\nthe government hopes to maintain nutritional service coverage without\nexcessive budgetary strain.<\/p>\n
Nanik also clarified that programme implementation partners are not\nrequired to be affiliated with schools. Social, educational, or\nreligious foundations can participate as long as they meet the specified\nrequirements. She added that all efficiency and restructuring steps are\ncurrently being implemented through internal meetings to ensure the MBG\nprogramme is more targeted, high-quality, and sustainable.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/national-nutrition-agency-evaluates-free-nutritious-meal-kitchen-distribution-and-63-million-beneficiary-1780924062", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }