Coordinating Minister Zulhas reveals MBG kitchens in 3T regions surge to 8,617 locations

Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan has revealed that the number of Nutritional Fulfilment Service Units (SPPG) for the Free Nutritious Meal Programme (MBG) in frontier, outermost and least developed (3T) regions has surged from 2,000 to 8,617 points. “For the 3T areas, it was initially recorded at 2,000 points, but it then became 8,617 points,” said Zulhas, as Zulkifli Hasan is popularly known, during a press conference on improving MBG service quality and remote SPPGs at the Coordinating Ministry for Food office in Jakarta on Thursday. Zulhas noted this increase is a concern for the government, as 6,138 SPPG points have already obtained a Decree (SK) issued by the National Nutrition Agency (BGN). Aside from the swelling number of MBG kitchens in 3T areas, Zulhas also disclosed an addition of 6,877 MBG kitchens in agglomeration areas. “The initial plan was for 21,000 points, but now there are 27,877 points. There is an increase of 6,877 points,” Zulhas stated. With each SPPG kitchen receiving an incentive worth Rp6 million per day, Zulhas calculated the budget wastage for SPPG kitchen incentives exceeds Rp1 trillion per month. “There is a monthly wastage of Rp1 trillion. That means, over a year, it is Rp12 trillion,” Zulhas said. These various cases of swelling numbers have become problems the government must resolve. Zulhas suggested it would take one month to reorganise the MBG Programme. “A comprehensive restructuring is needed by the Head of BGN and the new management to fix this very important programme,” Zulhas said. Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) Nanik S Deyang stated that her agency is implementing several budget efficiency measures so the programme’s execution does not burden state finances without altering the nutritional fulfilment targets for beneficiaries. The first step taken is a moratorium on opening new points and kitchens. To date, there are 27,877 operational kitchen points based on virtual accounts, which will be reorganised to assess the suitability of service capacity against the number of beneficiaries in each region. The BGN, she said, has also temporarily halted new kitchen registrations while mapping needs in various areas. This restructuring is necessary because kitchen distribution is still concentrated on Java Island. The next step is refocusing beneficiaries so nutritional interventions are more targeted at groups truly in need. An evaluation is being conducted on the number of beneficiaries, currently recorded at around 63 million people. Additionally, the BGN is strengthening service quality supervision. In 2026, the programme’s focus will shift to improving implementation quality rather than merely pursuing quantity. Evaluations are underway to ensure operating kitchens comply with technical guidelines and have appropriate service capacity. Nanik stated the MBG Programme is a mandate that must be executed properly because, besides aiming to improve the nutritional quality of Indonesian children, the programme is also expected to drive the economy at the grassroots level.