{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "id": 1581932,
        "msgid": "ui-research-warns-of-food-waste-risks-from-free-nutritious-meals-programme-1772464116",
        "date": "2026-03-02 19:38:17",
        "title": "UI Research Warns of Food Waste Risks from Free Nutritious Meals Programme",
        "author": "Gita Amanda",
        "source": "REPUBLIKA",
        "tags": "",
        "topic": "Anthropology",
        "summary": "The University of Indonesia's Department of Anthropology has completed research on the government's Free Nutritious Meals (Makan Bergizi Gratis\/MBG) programme implemented since early 2025, revealing significant levels of food waste despite student enthusiasm. Field observations at five schools in Jakarta between June and September 2025 showed that of 32\u201334 students per class, only 4\u20135 actually finished their meals, with the majority leaving substantial portions uneaten. The research highlights a critical gap between students' expressed satisfaction with the programme and their actual consumption behaviour.",
        "content": "<p>The Department of Anthropology at the Faculty of Social and Political\nSciences of the University of Indonesia (UI) has conducted research on\nthe government\u2019s Free Nutritious Meals (Makan Bergizi Gratis\/MBG)\nprogramme, which began implementation in early 2025. The research\nfindings reveal that the programme still carries a high potential for\nfood waste.<\/p>\n<p>Research lead Dr Dian Sulistiawati explained that the study was\nconducted by visiting five schools benefiting from the MBG programme in\nthe Jakarta region. The research, carried out between June and September\n2025, involved direct observation of students consuming the provided\nmeals.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen asked whether students enjoy receiving the MBG meal packages,\nthey will certainly say they are very pleased,\u201d she stated during a\nresearch seminar at the Juwono Sudarsono Auditorium at FISIP UI on\nMonday, 2 March 2026.<\/p>\n<p>However, the team\u2019s actual findings did not always align with\nstudents\u2019 stated preferences. The students\u2019 behaviour when receiving or\neating the MBG meals was not consistently enthusiastic.<\/p>\n<p>Sulistiawati explained that her team spent an entire day conducting\nresearch at each school, observing students consuming the MBG meals\nacross two to three classes per school.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo they say they enjoy the MBG meal packages, but their actions show\nthat some don\u2019t eat them, some even sleep on them with their heads on\ntheir meal containers,\u201d said Sulistiawati.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, based on field observations, the majority of the\nprovided meals were not fully consumed by students. From the five\nschools surveyed in Jakarta, only four to five students per class\nactually finished their MBG meals completely.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cImagine, in a single class of 32\u201334 students, only 4\u20135 students\nactually finish their meal containers entirely and truly eat the food\nprovided,\u201d noted Sulistiawati.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, the vast majority of other students failed to finish their\nmeals completely. Some students consumed only very small quantities of\nthe food provided.<\/p>",
        "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ui-research-warns-of-food-waste-risks-from-free-nutritious-meals-programme-1772464116",
        "image": ""
    },
    "sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
    "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}