Indonesia's free meal program adapts to school closures amid forest fires

Indonesia's National Nutrition Agency (BGN) is adapting its free meal program for students to accommodate school closures caused by widespread forest and land fires. The agency is coordinating with disaster task forces and local governments to ensure students continue to receive nutritious meals despite the disruptions.

BGN Head Sudaryono explained that the coordination involves local disaster management agencies (BPBD) and aims to establish practical distribution mechanisms for the "Makan Bergizi Gratis" (MBG) program, also known as the Free Nutritious Meal program. This process includes engaging school principals and parents to manage the logistics effectively.

“

We are tidying it up with a coordination mechanism that also involves school principals and parents.

Sudaryono highlighted the importance of coordination during the emergency response phase, especially in regions like West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, and South Kalimantan, which have been severely affected by the fires. In some instances, schools were forced to close suddenly, leaving prepared meals unused. The agency has implemented a conditional distribution system, allowing for meals to be collected by parents if already prepared, but halting regular distribution during remote learning or school closures.

To ensure safety and order, BGN has issued a standard operating procedure (SOP) for handling the MBG program in disaster-affected areas. This SOP aims to ensure that the program's delivery remains targeted, efficient, and does not impede ongoing disaster response efforts or compromise safety.

“

Because of the forest fires, schools were suddenly closed. The food that was already cooked was still managed through a mechanism, taken by parents.