Antara News · সাধারণ

Indonesia enlists posyandu to expand Free Nutritious Meals program

২৩/১০/২০২৬

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia's National Nutrition Agency (BGN) has decided to involve integrated health service posts, or posyandu, in the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program to expand its reach and improve targeting.

The initiative was marked by the signing of a memorandum of understanding between BGN and the Central Guidance Team for Posyandu during a forum in Bali on Thursday (Oct. 22).

"Under this memorandum of understanding, our collaboration extends beyond MBG distribution to cover nutritional education, data collection, and efforts to ensure the program reaches its intended beneficiaries," BGN Head Sudaryono said in a statement received here on Friday.

He said posyandu cadres could play a strategic role in advancing the flagship program, given their close engagement with communities, including those in rural areas.

With their extensive grassroots presence, posyandu cadres are well-positioned to help BGN better tailor MBG distribution to beneficiaries' nutritional needs, he added.

He emphasized that the MBG program targets not only schoolchildren but also the “3B” group, comprising pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and toddlers.

The government aims to extend the program to around 21 million beneficiaries in the 3B group, more than 10 million of whom have already been reached since the program was launched in January 2025.

“MBG is funded through the state budget using public funds. Therefore, it is crucial that we translate those funds into free nutritious meals for those in need and deliver effective nutritional interventions for beneficiaries. Valid data is essential,” he said.

Sudaryono also highlighted ongoing efforts to expand the program’s reach and prevent nutritional deficiencies. These include activating additional MBG kitchens in areas with high stunting rates and in underdeveloped, frontier, and outermost regions.

“We also welcome posyandu cadres to collaborate with MBG kitchens to monitor, assess, and ensure that those facilities fully comply with standard operating procedures for food preparation and distribution,” he said.

He added that BGN expects posyandu cadres to serve as its “eyes and ears” in the field.

Sudaryono also underscored the importance of public participation in monitoring the quality of the MBG program. He said posyandu are expected to provide BGN with information about conditions on the ground so the agency can take appropriate follow-up measures.

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