The adjustments were decided during a limited coordination meeting of the Coordinating Ministry for Food Affairs regarding strengthening the implementation of Presidential Regulation Number 115 of 2025 concerning the Governance of MBG Implementation in Jakarta on Thursday.
"The MBG program will continue operation during Ramadan," the Coordinating Minister for Food, Zulkifli Hasan, confirmed.
The 2026 Ramadan is predicted to start on February 18 to March 19, 2026.
According to Hasan, adjustments were made to ensure that services remain on target without disrupting the fasting month for Muslim students.
He explained that in regions with a majority of fasting students, dry food will be given for iftar (breaking the fast).
Meanwhile, schools in areas where most students do not fast will continue to receive MBG services as normal.
For toddlers, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers, the government has ensured that MBG services will continue to be provided as usual during Ramadan.
"The distribution of MBG for non-Muslim schools will continue as usual, along with pregnant women and toddlers," Hasan ensured.
He added that MBG services at Islamic boarding schools will adjust distribution times, shifting them to the afternoon for consumption during iftar.
Meanwhile, the Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Dadan Hindayana, stated that the Ramadan program has been prepared by regional nutrition fulfillment service units (SPPG) or MBG kitchens.
According to him, the prepared menu still prioritizes nutritional adequacy, even though it is packaged as dry packaged food.
The government emphasized that this adjustment is part of an effort to maintain the sustainability of the MBG Program while respecting community religious obligations.
According to data from the Coordinating Ministry for Food, by the end of January 2026, the MBG Program had reached more than 60 million beneficiaries throughout Indonesia, served by 22,091 MBG kitchens.
The free meal program has also proven effective in absorbing a large workforce. Government data show that 924,424 workers are directly involved in SPPG, supported by 68,551 food suppliers and 21,413 business partners, with most of them being local MSMEs.
The government considers the continuation of the MBG program during Ramadan crucial to maintaining consistent nutritional needs for the community while ensuring the program's economic impact remains at the regional level.
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Translator: Aria Ananda, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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