Adidaya Institute Optimistic Sudaryono Can Improve Free Nutritious Meal Programme

Executive Director of the Adidaya Institute Rahman Toha said the presence of the new Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) Sudaryono answers the public’s concerns and wishes regarding improvements to the implementation of the MBG programme.

Rahman is also confident that the improvement agenda being carried out by BGN Head Sudaryono will have an increasingly positive impact on improving nutrition and the socio-economic conditions of the community.

“Going forward, this programme will not only be nutritious but also tasty and varied. The MBG programme has many benefits, including absorbing 1.5 million workers and accelerating the food supply chain process, which will speed up economic turnover and have an impact on public welfare,” said Rahman, quoted on Friday, 7 August 2026.

Rahman also welcomed the Constitutional Court (MK) ruling number 40/PUU-XXIV/2026, which decided to separate the MBG programme budget from the education budget in the state budget (APBN). According to Rahman, the MK ruling actually further strengthens the constitutional aspect of the MBG.

“With the MK ruling on 30 July 2026, it shows that the MBG programme does not conflict with the constitution. However, what needs to be evaluated is of course related to the use of the budget for the MBG programme,” he explained.

Meanwhile, Head of the Politics and Democracy Desk at the Adidaya Institute Ahmad Fadhli explained that his institution’s survey results recorded that the majority of the public agree with the MBG programme. As many as 71.5 percent of the public approve of the MBG programme and around 67.6 percent of the public believe the MBG programme has a direct impact on families.

“The Adidaya Institute survey shows that 67.6 percent of the public stated that the MBG programme has a direct impact on families. The main problems with this MBG programme are related to governance (24.9 percent), budget (23.9 percent) and corruption (18.1 percent),” said Fadhli.

Professor of Community Nutrition at IPB, Prof. Ikeu Tanziha, stated that the MBG programme is the implementation of the state’s responsibility in fulfilling children’s rights to life, growth and development, care, and access to nutritious food.

This, she said, is in accordance with the mandate of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Therefore, according to her, the MBG programme is not only oriented towards meeting food needs but is also a long-term investment in quality human resource development.

“Improving nutritional status will increase individuals’ cognitive capacity and health, which will ultimately drive national productivity and economic growth. Every investment in nutrition interventions is estimated to be able to provide returns of up to 16 times the benefits,” she said.