BGN Chief Clarifies 13,000 SPPG Kitchens, Explains Phased Rollout
Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) Sudaryono has dismissed narratives suggesting the agency is about to open 13,000 new kitchens immediately. Sudaryono stated that the Nutrition Fulfilment Service Units (SPPG) will be launched in phases.
“It was quite a stir, Mr Coordinating Minister, there was a statement as if we are opening 13,000 kitchens soon, that is not the case. Our data already includes over 13,000 kitchens with various statuses, some are just starting, and some are already completed,” Sudaryono said during a press conference on improving the governance of the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme at the Coordinating Ministry for Food, Jakarta, Thursday (6/8/2026).
Sudaryono mentioned that the data held by his agency will be cross-referenced with other ministries. He stated that several SPPGs will be ready to operate next week.
“From this data, we overlay it with data from the Ministry of Health to identify priority areas where stunting is high and very high. We then map those areas and overlay them with the kitchens that are ready. God willing, next week, we will gradually release those that are ready,” he said.
Sudaryono added that there are currently over a thousand kitchens in areas with high stunting rates that are declared ready. These MBG kitchens will be operationalised in stages soon.
“From the overlay data, there are 1,700 kitchens that are ready and completed, just awaiting operations in areas with high and very high stunting. We will sort this out in stages. God willing, perhaps next week around 300 will be activated, and more the following week. Thus, we will scrutinise all 13,000 to see which ones are not yet needed,” he explained.
BGN will also check the readiness of SPPGs within Islamic boarding school (pondok pesantren) environments. He stressed that the entire SPPG development process is conducted transparently.
“Let it not be, pardon me, that a small statement sometimes leads to a different understanding. Because of this different understanding, there are individuals who then, sorry to say, Mr Coordinating Minister, peddle services at the grassroots level. So I assure you, if anyone claims to be someone who can help, I guarantee it is a lie. Everything is done by system and we are completely transparent,” he asserted.
Furthermore, BGN is prioritising Disadvantaged, Frontier, and Outermost (3T) regions. He noted that these areas are in dire need of the MBG programme.
“Decisions have been made. Clearly, we are currently sorting through the existing 27,000 or so, including the beneficiaries in which schools, we are sorting everything out. Then next week, the priority for any shortfall will be the Papua region, NTT, Nias, remote areas in the North Maluku and Maluku Islands, those far-flung places that are in great need,” he concluded.