National Nutrition Agency Praises Hygiene Standards of Pesantren Kitchen in West Lombok

West Lombok (ANTARA) - The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) has praised the hygiene standards of the Satuan Pelayanan Pemenuhan Gizi (SPPG) kitchen based at a pesantren in West Lombok Regency, West Nusa Tenggara Province. BGN Head Dadan Hindayana stated that the kitchen facilities and food service system at Pondok Pesantren Nurul Hakim surpass national standards. “The SPPG at the pesantren serves as an excellent model. Students receive nutritious meals, the pesantren gains incentives, and the pesantren’s land can be utilised to support the food supply chain,” he said during a working visit to West Lombok on Tuesday. The West Nusa Tenggara Provincial Government stated that the implementation of the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme based at pesantrens is being expanded across Lombok Island, with 13 pesantrens already having independent MBG services. He assessed that the MBG programme is not merely a short-term populist agenda, but a form of investment to create a golden generation in the next 10 to 25 years. “There is money circulating within the pesantren. Suppliers of needs are the congregation themselves, and the workers are also from the congregation,” he said. Chairman of the Nurul Hakim Pesantren Foundation in West Lombok, Muharaf Mahfuz, stated that they operate two SPPG kitchens to serve around 5,600 students and educators. Moreover, the foundation has prepared land exceeding 11 hectares to support the sustainable development of the programme’s facilities. He hopes that the pesantren-based SPPG will become a national model for integrated nutrition services that not only improve students’ health but also strengthen the economic independence of the pesantren and surrounding community.