BGN Shifts MBG Strategy: Quality Improved, 82.9 Million Target No Longer Priority
The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) has decided to pivot its strategy for the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme. Following a meeting with the President, the agency has expressed that for 2026, the priority will shift from pursuing quantity to ensuring quality. The goal is no longer to reach 82.9 million recipients, but rather to ensure that the kitchens providing these meals are healthy and capable of delivering nutritious food.
Nanik, speaking at a BGN leadership consolidation meeting in Central Jakarta, explained that the new focus involves upgrading existing MBG kitchens to meet strict health and food quality standards. Kitchens that fail to meet these standards will undergo evaluation and may face temporary suspension. Additionally, the BPG intends to strengthen human resource training within these kitchens to improve service and nutritional output.
This shift in focus is accompanied by a restructuring of the programme’s beneficiaries. The BGN will prioritise the most vulnerable groups, specifically pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and toddlers, with a particular emphasis on the 3T regions (underdeveloped, frontier, and outermost areas).
According to nutritional experts and paediatricians, nutritional intervention is most critical from the first month of pregnancy until a child reaches approximately nine years of age, or primary school age. The agency aims to concentrate its efforts on this vital window.
Furthermore, the BGN is implementing various budget efficiency measures. This includes a temporary moratorium on the construction of new MBG kitchens, allowing the government to focus on refining existing facilities and expanding programme reach to remote areas. Nanik noted that the agency is focused on budget efficiency to ensure that despite potential further cuts, the programme’s core objectives remain achievable. She emphasised that the success of the MBG programme should not be measured solely by the number of recipients, but by the quality of service and the nutritional impact on society.