Food Safety and Nutrition Standards: Field Testing MBG Training Modules in Jayapura Regency

Jayapura, 22–23 August 2025 – Government efforts to safeguard the quality of the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme entered a critical phase with the “Food Safety and Nutrition Standards Orientation for Food Handlers at Satuan Pelayanan Pemenuhan Gizi (SPPG) in Jayapura Regency”. Held over two days at Hotel Suni Sentani, the activity was an integral part of a pilot project designed to strengthen MBG in eastern Indonesia.

Addressing Papua’s Complex Nutrition Challenges

As a National Strategic Project (PSN), MBG faces the challenge of the double burden of malnutrition—undernutrition and overweight—which significantly affects school-age children. In Papua, these challenges are compounded by geographical and socioeconomic conditions.

SPPG plays a central role in producing and distributing ready-to-eat meals at scale. Food handlers’ competence is therefore crucial to reducing contamination risks and failures to meet nutritional requirements. The orientation’s main objectives were to:

1. Strengthen food handlers’ technical capacity and practical understanding.
2. Ensure effective MBG meal preparation from the kitchen onwards, particularly regarding food safety and nutrition standards.

Cascading Knowledge Transfer and Cross-Sector Collaboration

The activity involved 200 participants, including SPPG heads, nutrition personnel, accountants and all food handlers from four pilot SPPG units in Jayapura: Yayasan Kasih Iman Samuel Papua, Yayasan Pondok Karya Pembangunan, Yayasan Sehati Sebangsa Indonesia and Yayasan Colo Sagu Nusantara. Participants were divided into four parallel classes to maximise learning.

The orientation provided a practical example of cascading knowledge transfer, with facilitators drawn from two groups of experts:

• National Facilitators: Most were developers of the Training Module on Nutrition Standards and Ready-to-Eat Food Safety who had attended training of trainers (ToT) on 12–14 August 2025 in Jakarta.
• Local Academics: Involving Politeknik Kesehatan Jayapura and Universitas Cenderawasih (UNCEN), helping ensure that materials were contextualised to local knowledge.

This collaboration involved Kementerian Kesehatan (Direktorat Yankesga & Kesling), Badan POM, IPB University, UNICEF Indonesia and UNCEN, with specific support from the Government of China for the pilot project.

Contextual Learning and Field Practice

Training materials were delivered intensively through adult learning and participatory approaches. Technical preparation focused on 12 core modules covering the full food-service cycle at SPPG, from receiving ingredients, storage management, safe processing and portioning to food distribution and waste handling.

The activity was enriched by practical exercises and live simulations, including portioning nutritionally balanced meals, handwashing simulations with personal protective equipment, and measuring food waste, giving participants a practical understanding of the techniques.

Impact and Improvements to National Modules

Participants showed strong enthusiasm and improved their understanding of hygiene, sanitation and compliance with nutrition standards. The orientation served two purposes:

1. Local Capacity Building: Food handlers at the four pilot SPPG units will provide examples of good practices for the development of other SPPG units in Papua Province.
2. Module Field Testing: The activity provided a setting for field testing and valuable feedback for future improvements to the national training modules.

The orientation reaffirmed a multi-stakeholder commitment to ensuring that meals served through MBG are safe, fit for consumption and effective in supporting children’s optimal growth and development, beginning in Papua.