Jakarta (ANTARA) - Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Zulkifli Hasan described the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program as a revolutionary initiative introduced by President Prabowo to enhance the quality of Indonesia's human resources.
"The Quran and other scriptures mention much about eating, as it is an integral part of human civilization. Hence, the MBG program is a revolutionary policy by Mr. Prabowo, the President who comprehends both the problem and the solution," he remarked.
Speaking during the inauguration of the central executive board of the Association of Indonesian Village Governments (APDESI) in Jakarta on Tuesday, Hasan highlighted food sources found in Indonesia are the result of a long evolution of civilization.
Indonesian foods are inseparable from the nation's political, economic, and cultural characteristics, he said, adding that he used to savor locally sourced sweet potatoes, fruits, buffalo meat, and fish while growing up in Lampung.
The minister added that Indonesian foods are also influenced by the country's interactions with other nations like Vietnam, the Philippines, and China, resulting in the popularization of some foods, including noodles.
He underlined that, owing to a good level of nutritional intake, Indonesia recorded an average intelligence quotient (IQ) rate comparable to China and South Korea during the 1980s.
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Indonesia, however, failed to maintain the trend, as its IQ average has fallen below the two countries on account of deteriorating nutritional intake, which in turn adversely affected the population's productivity, intelligence, physical strength, and creativity, he said.
"President Prabowo understands this problem very well, recognizing the causal relations between diet and the economy, culture, and our children's productivity and creativity," Hasan affirmed.
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Bearing that in mind, he emphasized the government uses the MBG program, launched last January, as a strategic means to boost children's intelligence and physical strength with meals of balanced nutritional content.
As of November, the national flagship program has reached over 42 million schoolchildren, breastfeeding mothers, and pregnant women nationwide, supported by around 15 thousand MBG kitchens. The broader target is for the program to cater to 83 million citizens by March 2026.