BGN: Free Nutritious Meal Programme Makes Recipients Aware of Food Types They Consume

Jakarta – Deputy Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Sony Sanjaya has stressed that the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme is not merely a food distribution scheme, as the existence of MBG itself has opened awareness about national social infrastructure.

He explained that the MBG programme has indirectly broadened the mindset of the Indonesian nation. Currently, from Aceh to Papua and from rural villages to metropolitan cities, children have become conscious and aware of what food they are consuming.

“So it is not like when we were children. When I was young, food was just about eating. But children today are already becoming aware of what carbohydrates, proteins, fibre, and vitamins they are consuming,” Sony said at Kadin Tower, South Jakarta, on Friday, 27 February 2026.

“And this is a very good step forward. So again, the MBG programme is not merely about distributing food,” he added.

Furthermore, Sony confirmed that to date, a total of 1,000,067 workers have been employed in 22,900 Food Service Kitchens (SPPG) already operating across the country.

“So today there are already 24,320 verified SPPG, and 100 per cent of these are SPPG built by the entire Indonesian community,” Sony said.

He also highlighted the difference between Indonesia’s MBG school meal programme and school meal programmes commonly found in other countries.

Whilst school meal programme infrastructure in other countries is predominantly built by governments, in Indonesia 100 per cent of the infrastructure is actually built by the community.

“And this is what makes Indonesia’s school meal programme different from school meal programmes in other countries,” Sony said.