BRIN Publishes MBG Study to Support Evidence-Based Policy

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta: Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) released findings on the Free Nutritious Meals Program. The study supports evidence-based policymaking in national human capital development.

The research was conducted by the Research Center for Industrial Economics, Services, and Trade. It is part of the Governance, Economy, and Community Welfare Research Organization at BRIN. The study evaluates early implementation and governance effectiveness of the MBG program.

Indonesia’s Free Nutritious Meals Program, known as MBG, is a strategic human development policy. It aims to improve community nutrition status nationwide. The program is expected to help reduce stunting and strengthen local economic resilience.

Since its national rollout, MBG has shown both optimism and implementation challenges. Improvements in nutrition access are widely welcomed by beneficiaries. However, governance coordination and service quality remain important concerns.

Head of the Governance, Economy, and Community Welfare Research Organization at BRIN Agus Eko Nugroho stressed the importance of scientific evidence. He emphasized BRIN’s mandate in coordinating and integrating national research. Public policy, he said, must be supported by solid research findings.

“As an institution mandated to coordinate, integrate, and implement national research and innovation, BRIN is committed to ensuring that every strategic public policy is supported by scientific evidence (evidence-based policy). The release of research results in this activity is a concrete manifestation of BRIN's contribution in supporting the success of the MBG Program as one of the government's Quick Win Programs (PHTC),” he said.

He acknowledged that several implementation challenges were identified during the study. These findings should become evaluation material for improving program quality nationwide. Continuous objective research is needed to ensure real public impact.

“However, various implementation challenges have also been identified and need to become evaluation material to improve program quality across Indonesia. Therefore, its implementation must continue to be monitored through objective and data-based research so that every policy refinement truly has a real impact on society,” he conveyed.

MBG Research Team Leader at BRIN Iwan Hermawan said the findings will support policy refinement. “The results of this research are expected to serve as a reference in improving governance and implementation of the MBG Program so that it runs effectively, efficiently, accountably, and sustainably in supporting Indonesia's human capital development,” he said.