Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — Indonesia officially launched its Free Nutritious Meal program on Monday, January 6, marking a significant milestone under the leadership of President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka. The program, aimed at addressing nutritional needs, will initially be rolled out across 190 locations in 26 provinces.
“We are grateful that, without waiting for the symbolic first 100 days, on the 78th day of President Prabowo’s administration, the MBG program has begun. This marks a historic milestone for Indonesia, as it’s the first nationwide nutrition fulfillment program targeting toddlers, schoolchildren, students in religious boarding schools, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers,” said Hasan Nasbi, Head of Presidential Communications, on Sunday, January 5.
According to Nasbi, data from the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) shows that 190 Nutritional Service Units (SPPG), or Free Nutritious Meal program kitchens, will be operational across the country. These units are spread across 26 provinces.
The province including Aceh, Bali, West Sumatra, North Sumatra, Riau Islands, Riau, Lampung, Banten, West Java, Jakarta, Central Java, East Java, and Yogyakarta. Additional regions include Gorontalo, West Sulawesi, South Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi, North Sulawesi, East Kalimantan, North Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, Maluku, North Maluku, East Nusa Tenggara, West Papua, and South Papua.
The Free Nutritious Meal program aims to reach three million beneficiaries between January and March 2025, with numbers expected to grow to 15 million by the end of the year. Beneficiaries include toddlers, students from early childhood education to high school, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers.
“From January to March 2025, we expect the Free Nutritious Meal program to reach three million beneficiaries,” Hasan explained. “This number will gradually increase, with a target of 82.9 million beneficiaries by 2029.”
Empower SMEs
The program also aims to empower small and medium enterprises (SMEs). So far, 140 SMEs have been integrated into the supply chain, and the number is expected to grow.
“Thousands of SMEs, cooperatives, and village-owned enterprises have already registered and are currently undergoing evaluation,” Hasan added.
Dadan Hindayana, Head of the National Nutrition Agency, highlighted strong public enthusiasm for participating in the program, with many SMEs expressing interest in becoming official partners.
The Free Nutritious Meal initiative represents the first component of Prabowo and Gibran’s ‘Best Fast Results Program’ (PHTC) and is backed by a substantial budget allocation of Rp71 trillion (approximately $4.5 billion). The program is positioned as a cornerstone policy to improve national health outcomes and reduce malnutrition rates across the country.
President Prabowo Announce Reduced Budget for Free Meals Program, Rp10.000 per Portion
The Free Nutritious Meals program marks a significant step in addressing nutritional challenges across Indonesia, reflecting the government’s commitment to improving public health and supporting local economies.
As the program expands, its success will depend on sustained collaboration between the government, local communities, and small businesses to ensure long-term impact and equitable access to nutritious meals for millions of Indonesians.
(Raidi/Agung)
