Accelerating Free Nutritious Meals in 3T Regions, Zulhas: Do Not Reduce the Menu
Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan (Zulhas) inspected the readiness of the activation of Nutrition Fulfilment Service Units (SPPG) in Sikka Regency, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).
The inspection was carried out to ensure the readiness of SPPG in 3T regions (Underdeveloped, Frontier, and Outermost), as well as to identify obstacles in the field in the context of structuring and refining the implementation of the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) Programme.
The MBG Programme currently serves around 62.6 million beneficiaries, supported by 27,485 operational SPPG and 134,881 local suppliers consisting of MSMEs, village-owned enterprises (BUMDes), cooperatives, Merah Putih Village/Sub-district Cooperatives (KDMP), and other suppliers.
Zulhas emphasised that the acceleration of 3T SPPG is a government decision covering priority regions, including NTT, Maluku, and all of Papua. The visit to NTT was conducted on Wednesday (19/8/2026).
“Indeed, it was a decision from the meeting I chaired two weeks ago: 3T, all of NTT, all of Maluku, all of Papua. Papua has six provinces: Papua, Southwest Papua, West Papua, South Papua, Central Papua, and Highland Papua,” said Zulhas in a written statement on Friday (21/8/2026).
The government is restructuring 8,617 SPPG in remote areas, including 1,703 3T SPPG focused, among other things, on supporting the acceleration of stunting reduction. In NTT, there are 1,123 applications for 3T SPPG, with 170 SPPG validated as ready for operation.
The acceleration of 3T SPPG activation in NTT is a concern because, based on the 2024 Indonesian Nutrition Status Survey (SSGI), the stunting prevalence in NTT reached 37 percent. Several regencies, including South Central Timor, Southwest Sumba, and North Central Timor, are recorded as areas with high stunting prevalence. One of the 3T SPPG ready for operation is SPPG Sikka Munerana in Sikka Regency, which is planned to serve under 1,000 beneficiaries.
The General Chairman of PAN also reminded that the implementation of MBG in 3T regions must continue to meet the established nutritional standards and must not reduce the menu or nutritional content stipulated by the programme.
Through the cross-ministerial/institutional coordination function, the Coordinating Ministry for Food is pushing for the acceleration of the structuring and activation of 3T SPPG, especially in areas requiring nutritional fulfilment support. The direct inspection in Sikka is part of efforts to ensure operational readiness while encouraging the resolution of obstacles in the field, so that the implementation of MBG in 3T regions can run effectively and sustainably.
“Please do not reduce the menu. It is not allowed to reduce the provisions and it is not allowed to reduce the nutrition that is standard in MBG,” concluded Zulkifli Hasan.