Depok-The high rate of stunting and the problem of food waste remain serious challenges to sustainable development in Indonesia. Based on the results of the 2024 Indonesian Nutritional Status Survey (SSGI), the national prevalence of stunting is at 19.8%. Despite showing a downward trend, millions of toddlers in Indonesia still face the risk of stunted growth due to chronic malnutrition. Furthermore, the UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2024 shows that Indonesia produces around 14.73 million tons of household food waste per year, making it one of the highest in Southeast Asia. Departing from concerns about these two issues, three students from the Office Administration study program, Vocational Education Program, Universitas Indonesia (UI), successfully created an innovation titled Nutri-Chain and won the Bronze Award in the KPM International SDGs Competition 2026 in the National Essay Competition category held by Universitas Muhammadiyah Jakarta on May 8–10, 2026.
The “Dikejar Deadline” team, consisting of Nafisah Nurhafizhah, Aura Aulia Azzahra, and Farrel Ezra Julio Tampubolon, presented an innovative idea in the form of a digital food bank system called Nutri-Chain. This innovation is designed to help distribute nutritious food more effectively to families at risk of stunting through the integration of Internet of Things (IoT) technology, digital applications, and community-based validation.
This success also demonstrates the tangible contribution of vocational students in supporting the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production). Furthermore, this innovation is also linked to SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) through the use of digital technology and IoT for more efficient and sustainable food management.
In their essay, the team addressed the high prevalence of stunting in Indonesia, which occurs amidst high rates of food loss and waste. They believe the main challenge lies not in the lack of food availability, but rather in suboptimal food distribution and management. Nafisah, a team representative, said, “Through Nutri-Chain, food donors such as MSMEs, farmers, and other businesses can distribute edible food through a digital application. The food is then stored in IoT-based cold storage to maintain food quality and safety before being distributed to beneficiaries.”
During the distribution process, integrated health post cadres collect data on recipient families using a scoring system, which is then validated by the local neighborhood association. Recipients then receive a QR code-based Smart Nutri-Voucher, which they can use to purchase nutritious food at targeted locations. This system is considered effective in increasing transparency and distribution efficiency, while minimizing the potential for misuse of food aid.
(Photo: Three students achieve success with the Nutri-Chain innovation)
“Nutri-Chain’s innovation not only prioritizes technology, but also integrates social, health, and food security dimensions into a single, sustainable ecosystem. In compiling the essay, the team utilized a variety of data and references, including the Indonesian Nutritional Status Survey (SSGI), Bappenas data, and scientific journals related to stunting, food loss, and food distribution technology,” he added.
The team’s success is also inseparable from the support of the classroom learning process. Various courses, such as Computer Applications, Management Information Systems, Management and Business Organization, and Public Relations, are considered to have made significant contributions to the process of developing ideas, processing data, and developing innovation communication strategies.
The Director of the UI Vocational Education Program, Dr. Safrin Arifin, SKM., S.St., M.Sc., said, “The Nutri-Chain innovation shows how students can connect the competencies learned in lectures with real solutions that are relevant to global challenges, especially the issues of stunting and sustainable food security.”
Through this achievement, the Dikejar Deadline Team hopes that the Nutri-Chain innovation will not remain a mere competition idea but can be developed into further research, community service programs, and even real-life pilot projects in various regions with a high stunting prevalence in Indonesia. Thus, this innovation is expected to have a sustainable social impact while supporting the national development agenda towards a healthier, more inclusive, and sustainable Indonesia.
