Article Sidebar

Download
PDF
Statistic
Read Counter : 31 Download : 23

Main Article Content

Abstract

Purpose— This paper examines the implementation of Indonesia's Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) policy, focusing on distribution, food safety, menu delivery, and institutional coordination in relation to school nutrition and human-capital development.


Research Methodology— The underlying study describes a qualitative, descriptive approach involving purposively selected elementary schools, stakeholder interviews, observation of meal delivery, and a review of school height and weight records. Implementation concerns are organized thematically; an independently assessable nutritional-effect estimate is not available.


Results— The analysis identifies distribution reliability, food safety, menu acceptability, and interagency oversight as central implementation dimensions. The available analysis does not establish changes in students' BMI-for-age, attendance, concentration, or achievement.


Research limitations/Implications— Limited reporting of the study setting, qualitative evidence, and anthropometric comparisons restricts outcome inference. Program management requires traceable procurement, hygiene assurance, locally responsive menus, and transparent monitoring.


Originality— The paper integrates operational implementation and governance considerations into an evaluation framework while distinguishing program objectives from demonstrated student outcomes.

Keywords

Free Nutritious Meals Public Policy Implementation Food Supply Chains Nutrition Governance School Feeding Human Capital

Article Details

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite
Berilani, D., Salsabila, M. N., Maulana, M. A., Setiawan, R. Z. N. A., & Yulianah, Y. (2026). Governance and Operational Challenges in Indonesia’s Free Nutritious Meals Policy: Implications for School Nutrition. Advances: Jurnal Ekonomi & Bisnis, 4(5), 1665–1672. https://doi.org/10.60079/ajeb.v4i5.1115
Download Citation
Endnote/Zotero/Mendeley (RIS)
BibTeX

References

  1. Agustini, U. (2025). Efektivitas dan tantangan kebijakan program makan bergizi gratis sebagai intervensi pendidikan di Indonesia. Jurnal Kiprah Pendidikan, 4(3), 362–368. https://doi.org/10.33578/kpd.v4i3.p362-368
  2. Aji, W. T. (2025). Makan bergizi gratis di era Prabowo-Gibran: Solusi untuk rakyat atau beban baru? NAAFI: Jurnal Ilmiah Mahasiswa, 1(3), 215–226.
  3. Akiyama, T., Tomokawa, S., Kigawa, M., Shibuya, F., Hitachi, M., Teshima, Y., Shimabukuro, L., Hato, T., Inoue, A., Kurishima, A., Mochimaru, E., Murata, J., Saito, N., Tensho, S., Takahashi, K., & Kobayashi, J. (2025). Trends in national-level school feeding policy objectives worldwide: Japan and multiple countries. Tropical Medicine and Health, 53, Article 172. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41182-025-00818-1
  4. Albaburrahim, A., Putikadyanto, A. P. A., Efendi, A. N., Alatas, M. A., Romadhon, S., & Wachidah, L. R. (2025). Program makan bergizi gratis: Analisis kritis transformasi pendidikan Indonesia menuju generasi emas 2045. Entita: Jurnal Pendidikan Ilmu Pengetahuan Sosial dan Ilmu-Ilmu Sosial, 1, 767–780. https://doi.org/10.19105/ejpis.v1i.19191
  5. Alderman, H., Bundy, D., & Gelli, A. (2024). School meals are evolving: Has the evidence kept up? The World Bank Research Observer, 39(2), 159–176. https://doi.org/10.1093/wbro/lkad012
  6. Chambers, S., Boydell, N., Ford, A., & Eadie, D. (2020). Learning from the implementation of universal free school meals in Scotland using Normalisation Process Theory: Lessons for policymakers to engage multiple stakeholders. Food Policy, 95, Article 101936. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2020.101936
  7. Cohen, J. F. W., Hecht, A. A., McLoughlin, G. M., Turner, L., & Schwartz, M. B. (2021). Universal school meals and associations with student participation, attendance, academic performance, diet quality, food security, and body mass index: A systematic review. Nutrients, 13(3), Article 911. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13030911
  8. Erlyn, P., Pramayastri, V., Hidayat, B. A., & Saksono, H. (2026). Tata kelola keamanan pangan program makan bergizi gratis: Integrasi sertifikasi higiene dan sanitasi serta pengawasan operasional di Palembang. Jurnal Bina Praja, 18(2), 339–352. https://doi.org/10.21787/jbp.18.2026.3440
  9. Fatimah, S., Rasyid, A., Anirwan, A., Qamal, Q., & Arwakon, H. O. (2024). Kebijakan makan bergizi gratis di Indonesia Timur: Tantangan, implementasi, dan solusi untuk ketahanan pangan. Journal of Governance and Policy Innovation, 4(1), 14–21. https://doi.org/10.51577/jgpi.v4i1.641
  10. Herdiana, D. (2025). Implementasi kebijakan makan bergizi gratis (MBG): Faktor-faktor pendorong dan penghambat. Madani: Jurnal Ilmiah Multidisiplin, 3(2), 470–478. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15063556
  11. Holford, A., & Rabe, B. (2024). Universal free school meals and children’s bodyweight: Impacts by age and duration of exposure. Journal of Health Economics, 98, Article 102937. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhealeco.2024.102937
  12. Republic of Indonesia. (2024). Peraturan Presiden Republik Indonesia Nomor 83 Tahun 2024 tentang Badan Gizi Nasional. https://www.peraturan.go.id/id/perpres-no-83-tahun-2024
  13. Republic of Indonesia. (2025). Peraturan Presiden Republik Indonesia Nomor 115 Tahun 2025 tentang Tata Kelola Penyelenggaraan Program Makan Bergizi Gratis. https://www.peraturan.go.id/id/perpres-no-115-tahun-2025
  14. Jessiman, P. E., Carlisle, V. R., Breheny, K., Campbell, R., Jago, R., Robinson, M., Strong, S., & Kidger, J. (2023). A qualitative process evaluation of universal free school meal provision in two London secondary schools. BMC Public Health, 23, Article 300. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-15082-3
  15. Kaur, R. (2021). Estimating the impact of school feeding programs: Evidence from mid day meal scheme of India. Economics of Education Review, 84, Article 102171. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econedurev.2021.102171
  16. Kiftiyah, A., Palestina, F. A., Abshar, F. U., & Rofiah, K. (2025). Program makan bergizi gratis (MBG) dalam perspektif keadilan sosial dan dinamika sosial-politik. Pancasila: Jurnal Keindonesiaan, 5(1), 101–112. https://doi.org/10.52738/pjk.v5i1.726
  17. Liguori, J., Amevinya, G. S., Holdsworth, M., Savy, M., & Laar, A. (2024). Nutritional quality and diversity in Ghana’s school feeding programme: A mixed-methods exploration through caterer interviews in the Greater Accra Region. BMC Nutrition, 10, Article 127. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40795-024-00936-9
  18. Makambombu, S. (2026). Local food, centralized governance, and the limits of policy localization in Indonesia’s free nutritious school meal program: Evidence from Sumba. The Journal of Indonesia Sustainable Development Planning, 7(1), 70–84. https://doi.org/10.46456/jisdep.v7i1.946
  19. Masrich, A., Sarwani, & Rochmansjah, H. (2026). Policy capacity and governance challenges in Indonesia’s MBG (free nutritious meal) program. International Journal of Science and Society, 8(3), 154–168. https://doi.org/10.54783/ijsoc.v8i3.1723
  20. Mostert, C. M. (2021). The impact of the school feeding programme on the education and health outcomes of South African children. Children and Youth Services Review, 126, Article 106029. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2021.106029
  21. Reza, I. F. (2025). Urgensi penjaminan mutu dalam pelaksanaan program makan bergizi gratis. Jurnal Analis Kebijakan, 9(2), 67–72. https://doi.org/10.37145/n0a0gb68
  22. Spill, M. K., Trivedi, R., Thoerig, R. C., Balalian, A. A., Schwartz, M. B., Gundersen, C., Odoms-Young, A., Racine, E. F., Foster, M. J., Davis, J. S., & MacFarlane, A. J. (2024). Universal free school meals and school and student outcomes: A systematic review. JAMA Network Open, 7(8), Article e2424082. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.24082
  23. Tambunan, K. A. H., Nababan, R., Siagian, R. A., Naiborhu, R., Harianti, S., & Jamaludin, J. (2025). Tinjauan kritis tentang program makan bergizi gratis terhadap produktivitas belajar siswa. Katalis Pendidikan: Jurnal Ilmu Pendidikan dan Matematika, 2(2), 21–31. https://doi.org/10.62383/katalis.v2i2.1428
  24. Wang, D., Shinde, S., Young, T., & Fawzi, W. W. (2021). Impacts of school feeding on educational and health outcomes of school-age children and adolescents in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Global Health, 11, Article 04051. https://doi.org/10.7189/jogh.11.04051
  25. Wibowo, A., & Yuliani. (2026). Three decades of school meal program research: Bibliometric insights for governance and sustainability of Indonesia’s free nutritional meal initiative (MBG). Jurnal Perencanaan Pembangunan: The Indonesian Journal of Development Planning, 10(1), 198–218. https://doi.org/10.36574/jpp.v10i1.745