UNAIR NEWS – Students from the Public Health program at FIKKIA, Universitas Airlangga won first place in the Indonesian Fortification Coalition (KFI) Infographic Poster Competition. The announcement was made through the organization’s official Instagram account, @fortifikasi.indonesia, on April 21, 2026. The award ceremony was later held at Hotel Borobudur Jakarta on May 24, 2026. The team, consisting of Muhammad Hisyam, Faradiva Husna Azizah, and Muhammad Ridwan, focused their project on the issue of “hidden hunger.”
Hisyam, the team leader, said the three students shared a strong interest in public nutrition issues, making the competition an opportunity to apply knowledge they had gained during their studies. “One of the themes focused on fortified food as a solution to malnutrition in food-insecure regions, which we found very interesting,” he said.
Addressing Hidden Hunger
The team highlighted the issue of hidden hunger, which remains a major challenge in Indonesia. Hidden hunger refers to a condition in which individuals suffer from micronutrient deficiencies despite appearing to consume enough food on a daily basis. The problem contributes to high rates of stunting and anemia, particularly in vulnerable and food-insecure communities.
Through their infographic poster, the students explained that food fortification could serve as one solution to the issue. Food fortification involves adding essential micronutrients to food products to improve nutritional quality more evenly across the population.
Examples featured in the poster included fortified rice, iodized salt, cooking oil enriched with vitamin A, and wheat flour fortified with iron and folic acid. The poster also encouraged greater public awareness of nutrition education and emphasized the importance of the first 1,000 days of life.
“We hope the information presented in our poster can raise public awareness about the importance of balanced nutrition,” Hisyam said.
Building skills through competition
Hisyam said participating in competitions offers students a valuable opportunity to develop their abilities while testing themselves in a more competitive environment. He added that the experience provided important lessons, from developing ideas to delivering information effectively to the public.
In addition to focusing on the substance of the material, the team also aimed to create an infographic design that was easy to understand so the public could better grasp the issues of hidden hunger and food fortification. They hope their work can contribute to ongoing efforts to improve nutrition in Indonesia.
At the end of the interview, Hisyam encouraged fellow students not to hesitate in pursuing opportunities and continuing to develop their potential through competitions and other positive activities.
“Participating in competitions is important for personal growth, to keep learning, improving, and measuring our abilities in a more competitive setting,” he said.
Author: Dheva Yudistira Maulana
Editor: Yulia Rohmawati
