Halal Value Chain of the Free Nutritious Meal Program for Sustainable Education and Health
Abstract
Purpose– This study aims to: (1) describe the relevance of the Free Nutritious Meal Program to sustainable education and health; and (2) analyze the halal value chain in the production and serving processes of meals under the Free Nutritious Meal Program (MBG). Design/methodology/approach– This study employs a qualitative approach, as it seeks to explore issues arising from the implementation of the Free Nutritious Meal Program. The research design adopted is phenomenological, involving direct observation of the meal production sites, and interviews with all stakeholders including consumers, producers, suppliers, teachers, and related parties involved in the MBG program. Documentation was also conducted to strengthen the observational and interview data, as well as to validate findings using relevant supporting files. The data were analyzed phenomenologically, and their validity was verified through source triangulation. Findings– (1) The Free Nutritious Meal Program has not yet demonstrated relevance to the goals of sustainable education and health promotion. The program tends to disrupt teaching and learning processes and fails to meet health standardization requirements. (2) There has been no systematic halal evaluation or audit conducted by the government concerning the production process of MBG meals. Thus, the halal value chain remains limited to operational licensing, without encompassing the entire upstream-to-downstream process. Implications– Theoretically, this research contributes to the development of halal food studies in line with the mandate of national legislation. Practically, the findings provide valuable insights for policymakers to continuously evaluate and improve the Free Nutritious Meal Program. Originality/value– The novelty of this study lies in its analysis of the halal value chain within the Free Nutritious Meal Program, an aspect that has not been comprehensively explored in previous research.
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