Indonesia's Free Nutritious Meal program reaches 57 million beneficiaries

Indonesia’s Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program has reached over 57 million beneficiaries, including students, pregnant women, and toddlers, across 38 provinces as of September 30, 2026. The program, a priority of the Prabowo Subianto administration, utilizes 27,486 Nutrition Service Units (SPPG). To maintain quality, the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) has temporarily closed 1,276 units that lacked proper hygiene and sanitation certification.

To combat food waste and improve consumption, the BGN is piloting a buffet-style service in 66 locations across Java, Aceh, South Sumatra, and South Papua. This method allows students to take portions according to their needs without changing the 15,000 rupiah per meal budget. The agency aims to expand this buffet method to 5,000 kitchens by the end of 2026. In Yogyakarta, officials are currently evaluating buffet trials in specific schools to assess food safety, nutrition standards, and logistical efficiency before a wider rollout.

In Serang, educational initiatives have begun where students visit nutrition service kitchens to learn about food preparation and hygiene standards. Looking ahead to 2027, the government targets reaching approximately 72.4 million beneficiaries.