Head of BGN States No Age Limit for MBG Volunteers: As Long as Healthy and Able to Work

Jakarta – The Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Dadan Hindayana, has emphasised that the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme is open to all segments of society who are in good health, ready to work, and enthusiastic about contributing to national nutrition fulfilment.

“There is no maximum age limit as long as the volunteers are healthy and able to work,” said Dadan in Jakarta, quoted on Friday, 8 May 2026.

According to Dadan, the MBG programme is a strategic national initiative that requires involvement from various community elements to ensure optimal implementation in various regions. Therefore, public participation is one of the main strengths in supporting the programme’s success.

He explained that volunteers play a crucial role in facilitating smooth field operations, from supporting the distribution of nutritious food and assisting in service processes to ensuring activities run orderly and on target.

Nevertheless, a minimum age requirement is still enforced as a form of attention to the volunteers’ readiness in carrying out field tasks and responsibilities.

“To become a volunteer, the minimum age requirement remains 18 years,” he stated.

Dadan added that community involvement in the MBG programme not only serves as support for the government initiative but also reflects the spirit of mutual cooperation and social concern in improving the nutritional quality of Indonesian society.

In his view, BGN continues to encourage the creation of an inclusive, collaborative, and adaptive ecosystem for programme implementation to meet community needs in various regions. With support from volunteers of diverse backgrounds, the MBG programme is expected to run more effectively and reach more beneficiaries.

“The spirit is to open up participation as widely as possible for the public who wish to contribute to the success of the MBG programme,” said Dadan.

The MBG programme itself is one of the government’s steps to strengthen national nutrition fulfilment efforts while supporting the improvement of Indonesia’s human resource quality. In its implementation, BGN continues to prioritise principles of collaboration, accountability, and benefits for society.