Boosting Children’s Nutrition at Home as MBG Urged to Work in Tandem with Puspaga

Two important dimensions underpin the contribution of the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection (PPPA): caregiving and children’s participation. Jakarta — The Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection (PPPA) is synergising the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) Programme with the implementation of the Family Learning Centres (Puspaga) to enhance the capacity of parents/families in meeting their children’s nutrition at home, based on local dietary wisdom. ‘There are two important dimensions that are the focus of PPPA’s contributions: caregiving and children’s participation. Therefore PPPA is synergising the MBG Programme with the implementation of Puspaga to improve parental/family capacity regarding meeting children’s nutrition at home, based on local dietary wisdom,’ said PPPA Minister Arifah Fauzi in a statement in Jakarta on Thursday. ‘This is important, because MBG must be implemented within a child-protection framework that guarantees the basic rights to nutrition and health without discrimination.’ In addition, her office is encouraging active participation of women as the drivers of MBG’s benefits. In Presidential Regulation No. 115 of 2025 on the Governance of the MBG Programme, specifically Article 49, the PPPA is mandated to coordinate programme synergy within the framework of child protection, taking into account the best interests of the child. Second, to encourage and facilitate women’s participation as drivers of the programme’s benefits. Third, to coordinate in monitoring child-related issues in the MBG Programme. According to him, the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) as the main implementer does not work alone, but is supported by all ministries/agencies and regional governments, from subdistrict chiefs (camat), urban village heads (lurah), regents (bupati), mayors (wali kota), to heads of agencies. ‘The role of local government is highly strategic, including facilitating quality assurance and food safety, issuing the Certificate of Hygienic Sanitation (SLHS), and ensuring the availability and affordability of raw materials, while also utilising local foods,’ said Coordinating Minister Zulkifli Hasan.