On behalf of GAIN, Savica organised and moderated a stakeholder workshop with policy makers, academia, manufacturers, civil society organizations and the private sector was held to discuss the current policies and regulations of commercially-produced fortified complementary foods (FCF) in Indonesia with a focus on portion size and fortification levels. A number of renowned national and international speakers covered topics such as Codex and the International Code for Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes, the Indonesian legal framework and nutritional needs of young children. In particular, the workshop looked at how Indonesia’s current FCF policies and regulations could be brought in line with Codex and the Code, and the current practices in Indonesia relating to feeding of IYC with FCF with a focus on portion sizes. Specifically, the workshop aimed to build consensus on the need to revise the current policies, standards and regulations in order to ensure that IYC receive optimal nutrition through breastfeeding, home-made and local foods, and commercially produced FCF.

There was a strong consensus among workshop participants with regard to the extent of the stunting problem in Indonesia, and the need to address this issue urgently through updating the current policies/regulations/decrees, the dissemination of information, and adequate monitoring and enforcement measures.

In particular, it was highlighted that the revised policies/regulations/decrees in relation to FCF should use Codex and the Code, and subsequent WHA resolutions, as benchmarks and ensure that:

  • Recommended portion sizes and daily ration reflect the child’s eating capacity at each stage of development and the product is formulated to fulfill their nutritional needs;
  • Serving instructions use common measures such as teaspoons, tablespoons or cups;
  • Clear labeling that emphasizes the importance of following the given instructions in order to fulfill the child’s nutritional requirements and protect breastfeeding.
  • Labeling that does not undermine breastfeeding through cross-promotion or recommended serving sizes that are too large, or that push mothers to select inappropriate products that do not fulfill the child’s nutritional needs.A significant outcome was that representatives from Ministry of Health (MOH), Food and Drugs Monitoring Agency (BPOM), NGO’s and the industry all agreed that FCF regulations should be mandatory, rather than voluntary.