SPPG in Frontier, Outermost, and Remote Regions Receives Special Government Attention, Says Zulhas

The Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs, Zulkifli Hasan (Zulhas), has affirmed that the government is providing special attention to accelerating the activation of Nutrition Fulfilment Service Units (SPPG) in the 3T regions (underdeveloped, frontier, and outermost).

He stated that in the first phase, 111 SPPGs across nine provinces are being prioritised for activation. Southwest Papua is one of the priority provinces, with 1lar 14 SPPGs in 3T areas ready for operation.

This was conveyed during his visit to the Sorong Moisegen Klasof SPPG in Sorong Regency, Southwest Papua, on Wednesday (2/9). The SPPG is located approximately 60 kilometres from Sorong City and is one of three 3T SPPGs in the Sorong Regency.

Once activated, the Sorong Moisegen Klasof SPPG is planned to serve around 700 beneficiaries in the surrounding area. The visit is part of the government’s efforts to accelerate SPPG activation in 3T regions, particularly in areas with high stunting prevalence and limited access to nutritious food.

“We have come directly to ensure that this SPPG is truly ready. We must not only focus on rapid operation, but the quality of food, food safety, kitchen hygiene, and service to beneficiaries must also be guaranteed. There is zero tolerance regarding food safety for children,” Zulhas stated in his briefing on Thursday (3/9/2026).

During his visit, Zulhas also took the opportunity to engage in dialogue with primary and kindergarten students in the vicinity. When asked if they had eaten breakfast before school, most children replied that they had not.

According to Zulhas, this condition highlights the importance of the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) Programme in 3T regions. For children in areas with limited access to nutritious food, the meals provided through the MBG programme are not merely an addition to their diet, but a vital component in ensuring their nutritional needs are met.

“I asked the children earlier whether they had eaten breakfast or not. It turns out many had not. Therefore, the Free Nutritious Meal Programme is very important, especially for our children in 3T regions. We want to ensure they receive food that is nutritious, safe, and of high quality,” said Zulhas.

In addition to school children, Zulhas requested that SPPGs pay attention to the nutritional needs of the ‘3B’ group: pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and toddlers. The use of high-quality and safe local food ingredients should also be optimised so that the implementation of the MBG programme can simultaneously provide economic benefits to the community and food producers around the SPPG.

He noted that geographical conditions should not be an obstacle for the community to obtain proper nutritional services. Therefore, the government continues to encourage the MBG programme to reach those most in need, including those living far from urban centres.

“It is precisely regions like these that we must prioritise. The state must be present even in the most remote places,” he said.

Furthermore, the Government, through the National Coordination Team, will continue to accelerate the activation of SPPGs in 3T regions while ensuring operational readiness, food safety, and service quality. This step is expected to expand the benefits of the MBG Programme and help improve the nutritional quality of the population in areas that have long faced limited access to nutritious food.