Persagi Prepares Nutrition Supervisor Certification for MBG Kitchens
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Nutritionists Association (Persagi) is preparing professional standardisation and special certification for nutrition supervisors to guarantee food quality and safety in the kitchens of the Satuan Pelayanan Pemenuhan Gizi (SPPG) within the Free Nutritious Meals Programme (MBG).
Persagi General Chairman Dodi Izwardi, speaking at the dialogue “From Nutritious Food to National Intelligence” during the APPMBGI National Summit 2026 attended in Jakarta on Saturday, stated that nutritionist education curricula have traditionally focused on hospital, clinic, and community health centre needs, necessitating such measures.
“The field requirements for MBG kitchens are highly specific. Nutrition personnel in SPPG must possess an entrepreneurial spirit and the courage to manage large-scale production systems. We are preparing capacity building to ensure they are ready to work in that ecosystem,” he said.
He explained that Persagi has established a commitment to unified data and messaging to support this strategic government programme.
The competency enhancement prepared includes planning food ingredients, cost estimation, nutritional adequacy standards, and quality supervision through the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) system.
“Research shows that providing complete meals at least once a day can significantly alter children’s consumption behaviour. This programme is one of the best in the world in the context of standardised nutritional fulfilment,” he stated.
Nevertheless, Dodi also highlighted several implementation challenges in the field, such as regulatory gaps and differences in standard operating procedures (SOPs) across regions due to cultural diversity in eating habits.
“SOPs cannot be fully standardised between Aceh, Java, and Papua because community eating behaviours differ. Regional capacities are also uneven in terms of quality supervision systems,” said the former Director of Nutrition at the Ministry of Health.
As a solution, Persagi has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with kitchen business associations to provide technical assistance and hygiene sanitation supervision by professional personnel. “Through certified nutrition supervisors, we ensure that every rupiah spent by the state truly delivers optimal nutritional impact for future generations,” Dodi revealed.