Coordinating Minister for Community Empowerment, Abdul Muhaimin Iskandar or Cak Imin conveyed a number of strategic programs of the Red and White Cabinet, the urgency of collaborating with universities in making the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program a success towards empowerment, independence and community welfare.
Unesa.ac.id. SURABAYA—Surabaya State University (UNESA) is one of the destinations for the visit of the Coordinating Minister for Community Empowerment of the Republic of Indonesia, Abdul Muhaimin Iskandar or Cak Imin in East Java on Friday, December 20 2024.
Cak Imin's presence on campus' Home of Champions' in order to promote community empowerment and sign a Memorandum of Understanding or MoU with the Indonesian Chancellors Forum (FRI), and Council of Chancellors of Indonesian State Universities (MRPTNI).
Coordinating Minister for Community Empowerment, Cak Imin emphasized that the government ensures community empowerment and welfare through a number of strategic programs, one of which is the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program.
MBG has a tremendous economic impact, which is expected to grow new economic actors, both in the agricultural production sector and food distribution. This program is a stepping stone for progress.
Left to right: Chairman of MRPTNI, Eduart Wolok; Chairman of FRI and Chancellor of UNESA Cak Hasan; Coordinating Minister for Community Empowerment, Cak Imin; Head of the National Nutrition Agency, Dadan Hindayana; and Deputy for Empowerment, Abdul Harris.
The Urgency of Collaboration < /strong>
Implementation of this program requires support and collaboration with universities. This collaboration is also to focus attention on villages that have various urgent problems that need to be addressed together.
First, the issue of economic inequality and welfare. Second, the issue of limited access to education and health. Third, infrastructure and connectivity gaps.
"To overcome all of this, of course we need to focus on science and technology. I hope that both FRI and MRPTNI will become the main part in encouraging the acceleration of community empowerment," he said.
Synergy with universities can be carried out in various forms of cooperation, including policy preparation, implementation of pilot projects, and various areas of service that create independence and community empowerment.
Deputy for Village Community Empowerment, Disadvantaged Areas and Certain Areas, Coordinating Ministry for Community Empowerment, Abdul Haris hopes for cooperation and support from universities in strengthening the community empowerment ecosystem.
Universities can contribute through research or productivity. Research can be directed as a solution and innovation to answer problems in society.
"I am sure that with this synergy, there is a lot that we can provide, wherever we can work for the nation and state, to eradicate total poverty "The target is that the MBG program can directly alleviate poverty at a number of points," he said.
UNESA support and Other universities
Head of the National Nutrition Agency, Dadan Hindayana, said that the MBG program will begin to be implemented on January 6 2025 throughout Indonesia. This program targets schools, Islamic boarding schools, pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, and children under five.
The initial target for the first phase, January-April, is targeting 3 million beneficiaries. Then it rose again by 6 million in April and rose to at least 15-17 million in August. "For the time being, once a day, or a third of children's calorie needs, is met by the Indonesian government," said the Head of the National Nutrition Agency.
As Chair of FRI and Chancellor of UNESA, Nurhasan or Cak Hasan expressed his commitment and readiness to support and make the government's programs a success, including the MBG program.
For Cak Hasan, the MBG program is a future program specifically designed to improve the quality of food and nutrition in educating Indonesia's superior generation.
In science gastronomy, eating is not only a biological need, but also an important medium in shaping the character of the nation's generation. "We are ready to fully support it, because this program is important as an effort to empower, independence and community welfare," he said. [*]
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Reporter: Zakariya Putra Soekarno (Fisipol), and Moch Ja'far Sodiq (FIP)
Editor: @zam*
Photo: UNESA PR Team
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