Minister of National Development Planning/Head of the National Development Planning Agency (PPN/Bappenas) Rachmat Pambudy said the direction of food and health development, particularly nutrition, in Indonesia must be more comprehensive.
"Several emerging issues and challenges indicate the need for sustainable intervention and governance to transform Indonesia's food and nutrition system. The future direction of food and health development, particularly nutrition, must be more comprehensive," he said at the kick-off of the 12th National Food and Nutrition Pre-Workshop (Pre-WNPG) themed "Food and Nutrition System Transformation in Strengthening the Implementation of the Free Nutritional Meal Program (MBG).
In a written statement received in Jakarta on Friday, Rachmat said that food and health development needs to be responsive to the challenges of the health burden faced in the future, such as climate change, demographic transition, conflict, and developments in health technology.
Moreover, he continued, food and nutrition development has become the main foundation in realizing the Vision of Golden Indonesia 2045 which is in line with the mandate of Law Number 59 of 2024 concerning the National Long-Term Development Plan (RPJPN) 2025–2045.
It is recorded that 81 districts/cities in Indonesia are still experiencing food insecurity amidst the threat of a triple planetary crisis, in the form of climate change, loss of biodiversity, pollution, and environmental degradation.
Indonesia is also facing the Triple Burden of Malnutrition , with reference to data from the 2024 Indonesian Nutritional Status Survey which shows the percentage of children with stunting is 19.8 percent, underweight 16.8 percent, wasting 7.4 percent, and overweight 3.4 percent, as well as high levels of micronutrient deficiencies.
In addition, he said one in two school-age children and two in three women of childbearing age experience micronutrient deficiencies.
