Reasons Behind the 2027 Free Nutritious Meal Budget Cut, It Turns Out Because...

Jakarta – Chairman of the Budget Committee (Banggar) of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), Said Abdullah, has revealed that the budget for the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme is expected to be lower in 2027. The adjustment is not due to a reduction in programme quality, but rather is based on the real needs of implementation in the field.

According to Said, the budget amount is compiled by considering the number of Nutritional Fulfilment Service Units (SPPG), or MBG kitchens, required, as well as the target beneficiaries to be served next year. He estimates the budget for the Free Nutritious Meal programme in 2027 will not exceed Rp174 trillion.

Said explained that the budget calculation was carried out after estimating the number of MBG kitchens that will operate across Indonesia. Based on the DPR’s projections, the need for SPPG is estimated to reach around 21,000 locations. In addition, the budget formulation also considers the target number of beneficiaries, which is estimated to reach around 84 million students. By considering these two factors, according to Said, the programme’s budget requirements become more measurable compared to previous estimates.

“So my calculation, if outside the education budget there is a health budget included, such as for stunting and pregnant women, it will not exceed Rp174 trillion,” Said stated at the DPR Building in Central Jakarta on Monday, 6 July 2026.

Said emphasised that the budget adjustment does not mean the government is reducing its commitment to the Free Nutritious Meal Programme. He explained that the lower budget is actually the result of a calculation based on actual needs, so it should not be viewed as a reduction in programme quality. According to him, discussions regarding the budget size should not focus solely on the nominal figure, but on the effectiveness of the programme’s implementation.

“The MBG should not always have a bombastic budget figure, and then when it goes down, people say, ‘Oh, why did it go down?’. No. The important thing is maintaining quality,” he said.

Furthermore, Said assured that the budget adjustment will not affect the quality of the nutritious food received by beneficiaries. He stressed that the government and the DPR continue to make programme governance a top priority so that the MBG implementation runs effectively and is well-targeted.