The government continues to strive to encourage the creation of healthy, active, and productive human resources (HR) from an early age through the provision of nutritious food. The program targets school-age children through the Education Movement and Provision of Nutritious Food for Students (Genius) program.
“Food and nutrition security is a national strategic issue. The importance of nutritional intake for future generations is a concern for the President. Therefore, this effort is not just about providing food, but ensuring the quality and quantity of food consumed by future generations. The launch of the Genius program in 2024 is part of a strategic effort to support the realization of a healthy, strong, intelligent, cheerful, and productive Golden Generation 2045,” said Head of Bapanas, Arief Prasetyo Adi, quoted from a statement received on Wednesday (28/8).
The Genius program, continued Arief, is also part of efforts to support the acceleration of reducing the prevalence of stunting according to President Joko Widodo’s mandate based on Presidential Regulation (Perpres) 72 of 2021 with a stunting prevalence target of 14% by the end of 2024. The current stunting prevalence rate is still at 21.5%, down from 37.2% in 2022.
Arief also emphasized that in addition to providing a variety of food intake, balanced nutrition, and safe, his party also continues to provide education to stop food waste. That way, everyone can appreciate the food they consume considering the numbers food loss and waste reaching 31% and having an impact on food security, the economy and the environment.
“We also campaign to stop food waste. We continue to push this to become a massive movement throughout Indonesia. We convey to the governors and regents so that the potential for excess food in various places such as retail and restaurants can be utilized optimally through a food donation program that is managed collaboratively, with a hub for distribution to community groups in need such as orphanages, low-income communities, and others,” explained Arief.
On the same occasion, Acting Governor of South Sumatra Elen Setiadi appreciated the Genius program which was launched as an effort to improve the quality of human resources in 2045.
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“We are happy and proud that South Sumatra is one of 10 provinces that will release Genius in 2024. Of course, we will continue. And also from upstream, from production, we prepare, processing to distribution. So that we can ensure that our children get sufficient nutrition and with that we can realize Indonesia Emas 2045,” he explained.
“We at the Provincial Government will also continue to provide school snacks in the form of chicken eggs every week. Earlier we distributed 4 thousand eggs. God willing, we will continue to increase it,” he added.
This year, the Genius program targets around 17 thousand students in 92 elementary schools spread across 30 districts/cities in 10 provinces, namely Aceh, North Sumatra, West Sumatra, South Sumatra, Lampung, West Java, East Java, South Sulawesi, West Sulawesi and North Sulawesi. (Z-11)
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