Commission IX Parliament members appraise free nutritious meal programme for public health improvement
Sidoarjo — Commission IX member of the Indonesian Parliament Lucy Kurniasari has praised the Free Nutritious Meal Programme (MBG) for its ability to improve public health and welfare through the provision of balanced nutrition to children and vulnerable groups.
“The MBG programme provides substantial benefits to society, as it helps improve health and welfare through adequate nutritional provision,” Kurniasari said in a statement in Sidoarjo on Sunday.
During a socialisation activity for the MBG programme jointly held with the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) in Kalidawir Village, Tanggulangin District, Sidoarjo Regency, Kurniasari also emphasised that collaboration between government, relevant institutions, and communities is key to ensuring the programme operates optimally and delivers broad benefits to society.
According to her, the Free Nutritious Meal Programme represents one of the government’s strategic steps to improve the quality of human resources through early nutritional fulfilment.
Beyond enhancing nutritional intake among the public, she explained that the programme also generates positive effects for regional economies through the involvement of local food suppliers.
“Beyond improving nutritional quality, this programme also supports the empowerment of local sectors, and has been proven to contribute to reducing stunting rates in Surabaya,” she added.
The MBG programme targets various groups of society ranging from kindergarten through upper secondary school students, Islamic boarding school students, and children with special needs. Additionally, the programme also targets non-student groups, such as pregnant women, nursing mothers, and toddlers.
As part of its legislative and supervisory functions, Parliament also plays a role in supporting the programme’s success through approval of state budgets, provision of recommendations for programme implementation, and supervision and evaluation to ensure it is well-targeted.
Kurniasari hopes that through continued socialisation efforts, society will better understand the benefits of the MBG programme and actively participate in supporting its success.
“This programme represents a major investment in the nation’s future. With adequate nutritional provision, we can strengthen the development of Indonesia’s human resources,” she stated.