Government Targets Completion of MBG Programme Restructuring Within One Month

The government has affirmed its commitment to a comprehensive restructuring of the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme within the next month. The move aims to improve programme governance while enhancing the quality of its implementation across various regions. Coordinating Minister for Food, Zulkifli Hasan, said the improvement process requires time so that all programme aspects can be evaluated and reorganised optimally. “It needs time for restructuring, yes. One month. One month of restructuring,” said Zulhas, as Zulkifli Hasan is commonly called, at the MBG and Remote SPPG Service Quality Improvement event at the Coordinating Ministry for Food office in Jakarta on Thursday. According to Zulhas, the restructuring includes fixing a number of Nutritional Fulfilment Service Unit (SPPG) locations that were previously reported to have been bought and sold. Additionally, the government will remap the schools receiving MBG benefits, enhance the quality standards of food provider kitchens, and verify reports related to programme beneficiaries. “The new Head of BGN and the new management need to carry out a comprehensive restructuring to fix this very important programme,” Zulhas stated. The restructuring effort is the government’s response to various issues that emerged during the Free Nutritious Meals programme’s implementation. Zulhas noted that these various obstacles received direct attention from President Prabowo Subianto. “At one point, the President eventually heard and has taken the decision to replace the management with a new one,” he added. Meanwhile, Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Nanik S. Deyang, explained that her agency is implementing several budget efficiency strategies to ensure the programme runs effectively without placing an excessive burden on state finances. The nutritional fulfilment targets for beneficiaries are nevertheless maintained. One policy implemented is a moratorium or temporary halt on the opening of new service points and kitchens. Currently, 27,877 operational kitchen points based on virtual accounts are recorded and will be reevaluated to adjust service capacity with the number of beneficiaries in each region. BGN has also temporarily halted the registration process for new kitchens while conducting a more accurate needs assessment across various areas. The policy was adopted because the distribution of MBG providing kitchens is still highly concentrated on Java Island. In addition to restructuring service infrastructure, BGN will refocus or sharpen the targeting of beneficiaries so nutritional interventions are better directed at community groups genuinely in need. Currently, the number of programme beneficiaries is recorded at around 63 million people and remains in the evaluation stage. Strengthening service quality oversight is also a top priority. In 2026, the MBG programme’s focus will not only be on chasing beneficiary numbers but also ensuring the quality of services rendered meets standards. Evaluations will be conducted periodically to ensure each operational kitchen complies with the applicable technical guidelines and possesses adequate service capacity. Nanik emphasised that the Free Nutritious Meals programme is a mandate that must be carried out optimally. In addition to improving the nutritional quality of Indonesian children, the programme is also expected to boost economic growth in grassroots communities through various commercial activities generated around it.