Representatives from the National Nutrition Agency, National Food Agency, GAIN, I-PLAN, and invitees of the seminar on Environmental Perspectives of the school meal Program, 27 May 2025 hosted by the National Food Agency, I-PLAN and GAIN
On 27 May 2025, the second episode of Bincang Pangan Sehat Lestari (Talk Series on Sustainable and healthy diets) brought together experts, policy makers, practitioners, and development partners to discuss the environmental perspectives on Indonesia’s school meal program (MBG). The seminar saw active participation, with attendees engaging in panel discussions. Over 30 Participants attended the seminar in person, and over 500 participants from sub national food agencies and NGOs attended it online.
According to the National Nutrition Agency (NNA), this program aims to provide nutritious meals to 89.2 million beneficiaries through 30,000 central kitchens with a total budget of USD 7.11 billion, by the end of 2025. The primary recipients include children under five, school-aged children, pregnant and nursing mothers, and other vulnerable groups. While the program has been a beacon of hope for many, it also faces its own set of challenges, as is common with any large-scale initiative.
The MBG program was launched with a noble goal of combating malnutrition and food insecurities among Indonesia’s most vulnerable populations. By providing free, nutritious meals, the program aims to improve health outcomes and support the overall well-being of children and adults alike. However, the environmental considerations must be incorporated into the program design. Concerns such as food waste from uneaten meals, and carbon footprints associated with transporting large quantities of food are significant challenges that need to be addressed.
National Food Agency (NFA) estimates that potential food waste at schools could range from 1.1 to 1.4 million tons per year. This includes approximately 415,00 to 603,000 tons of edible food waste that can be prevented or rescued for redistribution, and up to 896,000 tons of inedible food waste that should be managed through domestic waste management systems. NFA emphasized the urgency to reduce food waste from the MBG program. In the mid-term national development plan 2025-2029, The Government of Indonesia is committed to reduce food loss and waste 3-5% annually (600k - 1 million tons). This target can be difficult to achieve if food waste from the school meal program is not prevented.
Improving the design of the MBG program is crucial in reducing and preventing food waste. This involves careful management at every stage, including the planning, preparation of raw materials, production, distribution, storage and food redistribution. By optimizing these processes, the program can significantly minimize food waste and enhance its overall efficiency. Hence the call for active participation of different stakeholders at the local level, particularly local governments, central kitchens, food banks, and community leaders in preventing and reducing food waste.
GAIN Indonesia offers an alternative model for the MBG program by utilizing food waste from hotels, restaurants, and cafes to be redistributed to the school meal program. This pilot has been done in a school in Bali.
A key takeaway from the event highlighted the need for a balanced approach to addressing both nutritional and environmental goals. By implementing sustainable practices and fostering community involvement. Indonesia MBG program can continue to provide healthy food to students and vulnerable groups while minimizing its environmental footprints. By preventing food waste and utilizing local foods, Indonesia can reduce GHGs emissions, which impacts public health, and efficient resource management can lead to cost savings, ensuring that more resources are directed towards feeding those in need. The journey towards food system transformation is a collective effort, and every step counts.
Bincang Pangan Sehat Lestari (BPSL) is a series of talk shows created by GAIN, in collaboration with Indonesia Post-Harvest Loss Alliance for Nutrition (JP2GI). This program is part of policy advocacy for environment, climate and nutrition integration in 3 targeted policies on food based dietary guidelines, food procurement, and climate change adaptation.
BPSL episode 1
BPSL episode 2
BPSL episode 3: Food systems transformation in the amendment of food law
BPSL episode 4: Nutrition perspective in the climate-resilient development, July 2025.