National Nutrition Agency Clarifies Budget for Nutritious Meal Programme for Toddlers and Primary School Children

The Deputy Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) for Communication and Investigation, Nanik S. Deyang, affirmed that the budget for food ingredients in the MBG is set at IDR 8,000-10,000 per serving, not IDR 15,000.

As reported by detikNews, this statement was made in response to concerns about the menu of the free nutritious meal programme (MBG) during Ramadan, which was deemed to deviate from the allocated budget.

Nanik explained that the IDR 13,000 budget for toddlers up to grade 3 primary school and IDR 15,000 for grade 4 primary school and above, including breastfeeding mothers, is not entirely allocated to food ingredients. This is because a portion of the budget is allocated for operational needs and incentives for foundations/implementing partners.

“Therefore, we would like to reiterate that the budget for food ingredients for toddlers/early childhood education/kindergarten/Islamic kindergarten, as well as grades 1-3 primary school, is IDR 8,000 per serving. Meanwhile, for grades 4 and above primary school, including breastfeeding mothers, the budget for food ingredients is IDR 10,000 per serving,” said Nanik in a written statement on Tuesday (24/2/2026).

Nanik explained that in addition to food ingredients, the MBG budget also includes operational costs of IDR 3,000 per serving. These funds are used for various supporting needs, such as electricity, internet/telephone, gas, water, incentives for SPPG worker volunteers, incentives for PIC teachers, vehicle incentives, payment of BPJS Ketenagakerjaan for volunteers, incentives for Posyandu cadres who distribute food for 3B, purchase of personal protective equipment and hygiene supplies, payment of MBG vehicle fuel, and the operation of the SPPG Head and their team, and so on.

There is also a budget allocation of IDR 2,000 per serving for land and building rental, including kitchens, four warehouses, two staff rooms, construction of an IPAL (wastewater treatment plant), water filtration, and rental of modern cooking equipment, ranging from rice steamers, vegetable washing machines, stoves, refrigerators, chillers, freezers, pots, to rental of food containers.

In the latest technical guidelines (juknis) number 401.1, this IDR 2,000 per serving budget is categorised as an incentive for SPPG facilities provided by partners, amounting to IDR 6 million per day, with the assumption that each SPPG serves 3,000 beneficiaries.

Nanik added that BGN remains open to input and reports if there are indications of MBG menus that are considered below the allocated budget.

“Every report will be followed up professionally, objectively, and in accordance with applicable supervision procedures, to ensure that the implementation of the MBG Programme runs in accordance with the established provisions and standards,” she emphasised.