Zulhas Targets Free Nutritious Meal Programme Restructuring in One Month

The Coordinating Minister for Food, Zulkifli Hasan, has expressed a commitment to restructuring the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme within one month.

“Restructuring is necessary. One month. One month of restructuring,” said Zulhas, the common nickname for Zulkifli Hasan, during an event for the Improvement of MBG Service Quality and Remote SPPG held at the Coordinating Ministry for Food Office, Jakarta, on Thursday (11/06/2026).

Within one month, Zulhas is committed to organising and fixing Nutrition Fulfilment Service Unit (SPPG) points that were previously subject to illegal trading, mapping schools receiving MBG, improving kitchen quality, and verifying reports of MBG beneficiaries.

“Comprehensive restructuring is required by the Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) and the new management to fix this very important programme,” said Zullam.

The restructuring of the MBG programme is a government response to various issues that emerged during its implementation. Zulhas noted that these various problems have drawn the attention of President Prabowo Subianto.

“At one point, the President listened and has made the decision to replace it with new management,” said Zulhas.

The Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Nanik S. Deyang, stated that her agency is taking several budget efficiency steps to ensure the programme’s implementation does not burden state finances without altering the nutritional targets for beneficiaries.

The first step taken is a moratorium on the opening of new service points and kitchens. Currently, there are 27,877 operational kitchen points based on virtual accounts, which will be reassessed to ensure service capacity matches the number of beneficiaries in each region.

She added that the BGN has also temporarily halted the registration of new kitchens while mapping needs across various regions. This restructuring is being conducted because the distribution of kitchens is still concentrated in Java.

The next step involves refocusing beneficiaries so that nutritional interventions are directed towards groups that truly need them. An evaluation is being conducted on the current number of beneficiaries, which is recorded at approximately 63 million people.

Furthermore, the BGN will strengthen the supervision of service quality. In 2026, the programme’s focus will be directed towards improving implementation quality, rather than merely chasing quantity. Evaluations will be carried out to ensure that operating kitchens meet technical guidelines and possess appropriate service capacities.

Nanik stated that the MBG programme is a mandate that must be executed well, as it aims not only to improve the nutritional quality of Indonesian children but is also expected to stimulate the local economy at the grassroots level.