BGN: Each MBG Kitchen Receives Rp 1 Billion per Month, Rp 5 Trillion Circulates in West Java

The Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Dadan Hindayana, stated that each Nutrition Fulfilment Service Unit (SPPG) or kitchen under the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) Programme receives an average of around Rp 1 billion per month. These funds then circulate within their respective regions. For example, in West Java, which has approximately 5,000 SPPGs, the fund circulation reaches Rp 5 trillion every month. “With the programme now running for 2.5 months, the money in West Java has circulated to around Rp 11 trillion to Rp 12 trillion. This is what drives the economic wheel in every region and becomes a local issue where food needs should be supplied locally,” explained Dadan. Therefore, the MBG programme was designed from the outset to encourage the utilisation of local resources. The food needs in this programme are expected to be met from local production, thereby opening market opportunities for farmers, business actors, and local food industries. Most of BGN’s budget is directly channelled to the regions through a virtual account mechanism connected to SPPGs across Indonesia. “BGN’s funds, 93 percent of which are directly disbursed from the State Treasury Office (KPPN) via virtual accounts. They enter the virtual accounts of all SPPGs throughout Indonesia, numbering 25,574. So, with this programme, there is equitable distribution of funds to every region,” said Dadan. Dadan also highlighted the important role of SPPGs in creating new job opportunities at the local level, from operational staff to expert personnel such as nutritionists recruited from the local community. Many regional heads are beginning to encourage that the funds entering their areas be spent on local products and raw materials. “I hope this creates a circular economic movement in each region, which, thank God, is now starting to be realised by all parties on how important it is to increase local productivity so that the regional economy can grow. Now, many regional heads want the money entering a region to be spent by purchasing raw materials available in that region,” he said. To ensure this runs optimally, BGN places nutrition experts in every SPPG, recruited from the local area. With this approach, the MBG programme is expected not only to improve the nutritional quality of the community but also to strengthen regional self-reliance and sustainable economic growth.