Indonesia’s Free Meals Program Reaches 60 Million Beneficiaries

Jakarta: Indonesia’s Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program has reached more than 60 million beneficiaries nationwide, Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan said on Thursday, as the number of operational kitchens continues to expand.

Speaking after a coordination meeting in Jakarta, Hasan said that as of January 29, a total of 22,091 MBG kitchens -,officially known as Nutritional Fulfillment Service Units (SPPGs),- were operating across the country.

He said the program’s implementation involves a broad supply chain, including kitchen workers, suppliers, and partner institutions.

According to government data, 924,424 workers are currently employed directly at SPPGs. An additional 68,551 workers are involved through suppliers, while 21,413 others are engaged through partner organizations.

Hasan added that the government is also processing the recruitment of 32,000 contract-based public employees to support the program.

During the meeting, participating ministries agreed to revise a joint ministerial decree governing the construction of SPPGs funded by the central government, citing the need to align construction plans with local readiness.

Under the revision, projects funded by the Ministry of Finance were reduced from 542 to 315 locations, while those under the Ministry of Public Works were adjusted from 264 to 222 locations.

“This will require close coordination with regional governments, particularly on issues related to payments, land availability, and other administrative matters,” Hasan said as quoted from Antara, Thursday, 29 January 2026.

Separately, Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) Dadan Hindayana said the collection of beneficiary data is being carried out in coordination with local governments, including data on individuals without national identification numbers and children who are not enrolled in school.

The MBG program was launched on January 6, 2025, as one of the priority programs of President Prabowo Subianto. It targets children under five, pregnant and breastfeeding women, and students from elementary to senior high school.

The government has set a target of 82.9 million beneficiaries, making the program one of the largest social nutrition initiatives in Indonesia.