Zulhas Targets Free Nutritious Meal Programme Restructuring in One Month

Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan has stated his commitment to reorganise the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme within one month. “We need time for restructuring, yes. One month. One month of restructuring,” said Zulhas, as Zulkifli Hasan is familiarly known, during the event for Improving the Quality of MBG Services and Remote SPPG held at the Coordinating Ministry for Food office in Jakarta on Thursday (11/6/2026). Within a month, Zulhas committed to reorganising and rectifying Nutritional Fulfilment Service Unit (SPPG) points that had been traded, mapping recipient schools, improving kitchen quality, and verifying MBG beneficiary reports. “Comprehensive restructuring is needed by the new Head of BGN and the new management to fix this very important programme,” said Zulhas. The restructuring of the MBG programme is the government’s response to various problems that emerged during its implementation. These various MBG programme problems, Zulhas noted, had drawn the attention of President Prabowo Subianto. “At one point, the President finally heard and has taken the decision to replace with new management,” said Zulhas. Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) Nanik S. Deyang stated that her agency is implementing several budgetary efficiency measures so that programme implementation does not burden state finances without changing the nutritional fulfilment targets for beneficiaries. The first step taken is a moratorium on opening new points and kitchens. To date, there are 27,877 operational kitchen points based on virtual accounts which will be reorganised to assess the suitability of service capacity with the number of beneficiaries in each region. The BGN, she said, has also temporarily halted the registration of new kitchens while mapping needs across various regions. This restructuring is being carried out because the distribution of kitchens is still concentrated in Java. The next step is to refocus beneficiaries so that nutritional interventions are more directed towards groups that truly need them. An evaluation is underway regarding the number of beneficiaries currently recorded at around 63 million people. Furthermore, the BGN will also strengthen the supervision of service quality. In 2026, the programme’s focus is directed towards improving implementation quality, rather than merely chasing quantity. Evaluations will be conducted to ensure that operating kitchens have met technical guidelines and possess appropriate service capacity. Nanik stated that the MBG programme is a mandate that must be carried out properly because, besides aiming to improve the nutritional quality of Indonesian children, the programme is also expected to drive the economy for communities at the grassroots level.