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Original Research Article Open Access SINTA 2 Accredited

Governance and Environmental Determinants of Severe Malnutrition in Indonesia

Evidence for Strengthening the Free Nutritious Meal Program

Authors

  • Muhammad Abduh 1* Corresponding author
  • Aos Kuswandi 2
  • Derriansya Putra Jaya 1
DOI
10.21787/jbp.18.2026.2922
Published & Pages
21 May 2026 · pp. 79-91
Manuscript History
Received29 Jan 2026 Accepted15 Apr 2026 Published21 May 2026
License
CC Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0
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Abstract

Indonesia’s Free Nutritious Meal Program (Makan Bergizi Gratis, MBG), mandated under Presidential Regulation No. 115/2025, is designed to reduce child malnutrition through decentralized implementation. This study examines whether village governance readiness and environmental degradation are associated with severe malnutrition events, which are rare but operationally important for program targeting. Villages are used as the unit of analysis because they are the primary frontline setting for coordination, community monitoring, service responsiveness, and environmental exposure. Using administrative data from 2,876 villages, the study estimates event occurrence using a logit model and event burden using a negative binomial model. The stable negative binomial count model, retained after fuller specifications showed convergence and collinearity problems, indicates that governance readiness is positively associated with severe malnutrition burden but not statistically significant, whereas environmental conditions, service support, and poverty remain relevant to interpretation and targeting. These findings support a risk-informed MBG strategy that integrates service readiness, social vulnerability, and environmental conditions rather than relying solely on reported cases.

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Author Biographies

  • Aos Kuswandi · Universitas Islam 45 Bekasi

    AOS Kuswandi is a researcher/practitioner working on public policy and governance, with a focus on strengthening performance accountability and improving public service delivery. His scholarly and professional contributions are documented through ORCID iD 0000-0002-2795-431X, a persistent identifier that helps link research outputs, affiliations, and related academic activities in a transparent and traceable manner.

  • Derriansya Putra Jaya · Tamansiswa Palembang University

    Derriansya Putra Jaya was born in Palembang and has pursued an interdisciplinary academic path, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Soil Science, a Master’s degree in Agribusiness, and a Doctorate in Public Administration. With over a decade of professional experience in the banking industry—spanning consumer credit management, funding, and transactions—he later returned to academia. He is currently a full-time lecturer in the Master’s Program in Government Studies at Universitas Tamansiswa Palembang and also teaches as a practitioner across several graduate and faculty programs. Active in public discourse as a policy commentator (including regional election debate panels and local TV/radio engagements), he is involved in networks of MSMEs, communities, and social movements to keep research grounded in everyday practice. His work includes contributions on public administration reform, digital innovation, and MSME credit restructuring, enriched by comparative perspectives from visits to France, Germany, and the Netherlands.

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