This research seminar was held on March 2, 2026, at the Juwono Sudarsono Auditorium, FISIP UI. The findings aim to provide a detailed and in depth empirical picture of how the MBG program is implemented across five elementary schools in Jakarta, while also highlighting the opportunities, constraints, challenges, and strategies each school adopts in carrying out the government initiative.
The Free Nutritious Meal Program is a clear example of the state’s role in meeting basic needs, designed to support both the physical and non physical development of children. At the same time, the discussion stressed the importance of avoiding overly simple assumptions about the relationship between eating, food, and nutrition. A less comprehensive approach risks failing to address nutritional issues and may even create new problems, such as food waste. The interdisciplinary exchange throughout the seminar brought in a rich set of perspectives to better understand the program.
