POULTRYINDONESIA, Jakarta – PT Japfa Comfeed Indonesia Tbk (JAPFA) once again reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the growth and development of Indonesia’s younger generation through the JAPFA for Kids program. The commitment was conveyed during a Media Gathering event as well as the launch of the 2026 JAPFA Journalism Appreciation Awards (AKJJ), held in Jakarta on Tuesday, May 12, 2026.

Held for the third time, AKJJ 2026 carries the theme “18 Years of JAPFA for Kids: Collaboration for the Nation’s Future Generation – From Data and Facts to Stories from the Field.” The theme reflects the 18-year journey of JAPFA for Kids in supporting the improvement of nutrition and health among Indonesian children, while also encouraging cross-sector collaboration to strengthen public education on the importance of child nutrition fulfillment.

Rachmat Indrajaya, Director of Corporate Affairs at JAPFA, stated that for the past 18 years, JAPFA for Kids has served as a form of the company’s ongoing commitment to improving the nutritional and health quality of Indonesian children.

“We believe that building Indonesia’s future begins with ensuring children receive proper nutrition and grow up in an environment that supports healthy lifestyles. Through the third AKJJ event, we also aim to strengthen collaboration with the media in raising public awareness about the importance of preparing the nation’s future generation,” said Rachmat.

Through AKJJ 2026, JAPFA hopes to encourage more journalistic works capable of broadening public understanding while also driving behavioral change toward healthier living. AKJJ is also expected to become a collaborative platform that brings together data, facts, and field stories to strengthen public education regarding the importance of balanced nutrition for Indonesian children.

“Cross-sector collaboration is an essential element in creating sustainable change. We hope the synergy between businesses, media, healthcare professionals, schools, and communities can continue to be strengthened in support of the growth and development of the nation’s future generation,” Rachmat concluded.

Challenges related to child nutrition in Indonesia remain a shared concern. Based on the 2023 Indonesian Health Survey, 11% of children aged 5–12 years are still categorized as undernourished or severely malnourished based on the Body Mass Index-for-Age (BMI/A) indicator.

Meanwhile, data collected by JAPFA from nine JAPFA for Kids implementation sites in 2025 showed that 1,034 out of 15,498 students, or approximately 6.6%, were recorded as having undernutrition and severe malnutrition status. This condition indicates that malnutrition remains a real challenge requiring collaborative and sustainable approaches.

In 2024, JAPFA for Kids reached seven regencies/cities. Out of a total of 15,518 students, 1,479 students were identified as undernourished and became the primary focus of the program. After the program implementation, 762 children, or 51.5%, successfully improved their nutritional status.

Meanwhile, in 2025, the program was implemented in nine regencies/cities targeting 123 schools. Based on the collected data, 1,034 students were identified as suffering from malnutrition and became the main targets of the intervention program. Following the implementation, 646 students, or 62.5%, successfully improved their nutritional status to normal nutrition.

Retno Artsanti, Head of Social Investment at JAPFA, explained that JAPFA for Kids is carried out through various integrated strategies.

“The program includes providing animal protein intake in the form of eggs every day for six months to students with malnutrition conditions, regular monitoring of weight and height through a digital application, and promoting healthy lifestyle habits through the JAPFA Healthy Day program. The program is also complemented with health education, teacher training, parental assistance, and periodic monitoring to ensure the program’s impact can be consistently measured,” said Retno.

As part of AKJJ 2026, JAPFA also presented a panel of judges from various professional backgrounds to ensure the quality of journalistic works that are not only informative but also capable of delivering positive impacts to society.

Akhmad Munir, senior journalist and Chairman of the Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI), stated that the media plays an important role in building public awareness regarding child nutrition issues through data-based and socially impactful journalistic works.

“Child nutrition is not only a health issue, but also concerns the future of the nation. Therefore, strong journalistic works must be able to present accurate data, balanced perspectives, and field stories that are close to the community so the messages delivered can encourage real change,” he said.

Meanwhile, senior photojournalist Beawiharta emphasized the importance of visual strength in portraying realities in the field.

“Strong visuals can bring stories to life and make them more touching. Through photojournalism, the public can directly see the realities in the field, so child nutrition issues are understood not merely as numbers and data, but also as humanitarian issues that require collective attention,” said Beawiharta.

On the other hand, public nutrition expert from the Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Indonesia, Prof. Dr. drg. Sandra Fikawati, M.P.H., stated that public education regarding balanced nutrition fulfillment still needs to be continuously strengthened through cross-sector collaboration, including with the media.

“Improving children’s nutritional quality requires the involvement of many parties. The media has a strategic role in delivering accurate and easily understood educational information to the public, especially regarding the importance of consuming animal protein, maintaining balanced diets, and cultivating healthy lifestyle habits from an early age,” said Prof. Sandra.

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