Indonesia eyes $56 mln monthly savings from MBG efficiency
Speaking at a press conference in Jakarta on Wednesday, Qodari said the government is committed to improving the governance of the MBG program, including by prioritizing the most vulnerable groups and imposing a moratorium on new MBG kitchens, formally known as Nutrition Service Fulfillment Units (SPPGs).
“According to reports from a recent meeting at the Coordinating Ministry for Food, the calculation shows savings of approximately Rp1 trillion per month,” Qodari said. “That means savings could reach Rp12 trillion per year.”
He said additional efficiency measures proposed by the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) are still awaiting a comprehensive review, which will be conducted during the school holiday period.
The evaluation will include incentive calculations, the number of SPPGs, and a review of beneficiary targeting, particularly for breastfeeding mothers, pregnant women, and toddlers.
“We will also focus on developing SPPGs in disadvantaged, frontier, and outermost regions so that the most vulnerable groups can receive maximum benefits,” he said.
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The government has also reduced the MBG budget allocation in the 2026 State Budget from Rp335 trillion to Rp268 trillion.
Following a meeting with House of Representatives Commission IX on Monday, BGN deputy head Agustina Arumsari said the program would prioritize groups requiring the most urgent nutritional intervention, including pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, toddlers, and young children.
High school students, particularly those from well-off families, may no longer be prioritized as beneficiaries.
She added that after restructuring the beneficiary list, the agency would focus on improving the governance of MBG kitchens.
During a meeting at the Coordinating Ministry for Food on June 11, Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan said the number of kitchens had exceeded the initial target.
The government had initially targeted around 21,000 SPPGs, but the total has now reached 27,877, exceeding the target by 6,877 units.
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Translator: Prisca Triferna V.,Genta Tenri M.,Yashinta Difa