Makassar, South Sulawesi Head of the South Sulawesi Representative Office of the National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN) Andi Ritamariani has asked her staff to increase innovation and collaboration to reach the stunting reduction target.

This is aimed at supporting the achievement of the target set under the Development of Family, Population, and Family Planning (Bangga Kencana) program.

“This is essential to reach the government’s target of reducing national stunting (prevalence) to 14 percent by 2024,” she said here on Friday after the signing of the BKKBN performance agreement for 2023, which was witnessed virtually by the head of BKKBN Hasto Wardoyo.

According to Ritamariani, the BKKBN head has asked staff across the country to innovate in performing their work to achieve breakthroughs while pursuing the targets of the Bangga Kencana program and stunting reduction acceleration.

The performance agreement is a document that contains assignments from the highest leader to the ranks below to carry out programs and activities based on the goals, indicators, targets, and budgets that will be integrated into the implementation of activities and ensure accountability.

She said that the performance agreement is a form of BKKBN’s commitment and responsibility in implementing activities and budgets that have been mandated for the welfare of Indonesians.

She informed that in 2023, the programs and activities of the South Sulawesi BKKBN will focus on increasing family resilience and welfare through the human life cycle approach to support the preparation of quality human resources and accelerate stunting reduction.

Meanwhile, Wardoyo, while delivering his directions virtually, said that breakthroughs and innovations are essential for realizing the targets of the Bangga Kencana program and stunting reduction.

“Without breakthroughs and innovations, acceleration will not occur,” he stressed.

The 2021 Indonesian Nutritional Status Survey (SSGI) put the prevalence of childhood stunting in Indonesia at 24.4 percent. The Indonesian government is aiming to bring it to 14 percent by 2024, as per Presidential Decree Number 72 of 2021 concerning stunting reduction acceleration.

Source: Antara News