Indonesia shifts free meals programme from expansion to quality, targeting and kitchen standards

Indonesia’s National Nutrition Agency, known locally as BGN, says it will no longer focus mainly on reaching tens of millions of recipients under the government’s Free Nutritious Meals programme, or MBG, and will instead prioritise meal quality, kitchen standards and more precise targeting.

The programme is one of President Prabowo Subianto’s flagship welfare initiatives. It provides meals through local service units known as SPPG, or Nutrition Fulfilment Service Units. For foreign readers, the programme is commonly referred to in Indonesia as Makan Bergizi Gratis, literally “free nutritious meals”.

BGN head Nanik Sudaryati Deyang said the agency had informed the president that it would not chase the earlier target of around 82 million recipients this year. “We will improve quality, so it is possible we will not chase the 82 million,” she said at a press conference in Central Jakarta on Thursday, 4 June 2026.

Local reports said the agency would review whether children in expensive private schools should continue receiving the programme, while redirecting assistance to 3T areas — Indonesia’s disadvantaged, frontier and outermost regions — and to the 3B group, meaning pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and toddlers.

Nanik said the agency would also focus on the condition of MBG kitchens, staff capacity and operational standards.

According to local reporting, BGN is reviewing the spread of kitchens because many are concentrated in urban and agglomeration areas, while some remote regions remain underserved.

The shift comes after a corruption case involving the programme’s former leadership. Indonesian and regional media reported that former BGN head Dadan Hindayana and two former deputy heads, Lodewyk Pusung and Sony Sonjaya, were named suspects by the Attorney General’s Office in a case involving alleged irregularities in MBG governance, including SPPG partner arrangements and alleged mark-ups in procurement.

Food-safety incidents have also become a major source of public scrutiny. According to Jaringan Pemantau Pendidikan Indonesia, cited by Universitas Gadjah Mada, at least 33,626 pupils had suffered suspected food poisoning linked to MBG from the start of 2025 to April 2026.

Separately, Indonesian Health Ministry data cited by Detik recorded 446 food-poisoning incidents involving 37,693 victims by early May 2026, across 220 regencies and cities in 36 provinces. The ministry figure refers to total victims, while the JPPI figure specifically refers to pupils.

BGN’s budget has also drawn attention. Indonesia’s government cut the 2026 MBG ceiling from Rp335 trillion (US$18.57 billion) to Rp268 trillion (US$14.86 billion), according to Antara, citing Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa.

BGN has previously said that 93 percent of its Rp268 trillion (US$14.86 billion) allocation would be used directly for MBG government assistance. At the same exchange rate, that direct-assistance portion is roughly US$13.82 billion.

Public opinion on the programme remains mixed. Pollster Poltracking Indonesia said its national survey, conducted from 11 to 17 May 2026 with 1,220 respondents, found that 92.1 percent of respondents were aware of MBG. Among those aware of the programme, 55.6 percent said they were satisfied.

Local sources also reported figures showing doubt and reservation within the same polling results. 41.2 percent of respondents who knew about MBG said they were less satisfied or dissatisfied.

On continuation, 51.9 percent said the programme should continue, while 35.3 percent said it should not, and 12.8 percent were undecided.

On targeting, 46.3 percent said MBG was not yet well-targeted, compared with 45.3 percent who said it was already on target. Poltracking gave the poll a margin of error of about 2.9 percent at a 95 percent confidence level.

Another local survey, by Cyrus Network, also recorded reservations among respondents who did not support MBG. Tirto reported that reasons included poor implementation at 30.1 percent, doubts about food quality at 22.3 percent, and concerns that the programme was not well-targeted at 11.7 percent.

Nanik has ordered SPPG kitchens to add more recipients from the 3B group. Earlier local reports said the agency wanted every SPPG to include pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and toddlers within its service area, with kitchens that failed to meet the requirement facing temporary suspension.

BGN says the refocus is intended to ensure that nutritional assistance reaches groups considered most in need, including children in primary school and mothers during pregnancy and breastfeeding. The agency also says it will use existing facilities in some remote areas rather than building new kitchens where the number of students is small.