Deputy Health Minister Benjamin Paulus Octavianus said the program reaches students from preschool to senior high school, along with pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers, during remarks in Padang, West Sumatra, on Tuesday.
He said the government has established 27,649 nutrition fulfillment service units, or SPPGs, across Indonesia’s 38 provinces to support the nationwide food distribution program.
According to Octavianus, 56.72 percent of the SPPGs have obtained sanitation and hygiene certification required under government regulations to participate in the program.
He added that all MBG kitchens will eventually be required to secure certification, with nearly 18,500 units already registered for the process.
The National Nutrition Agency said West Sumatra hosts 404 SPPGs, including 70 in Padang, generating an estimated Rp404 billion (about US$24.8 million) in regional economic circulation.
President Prabowo Subianto launched the MBG program on Jan. 6, 2025, to improve nutrition and strengthen Indonesia’s human resource development through wider access to healthy meals.
The government also aims to support local economies by requiring MBG kitchens to hire local workers and source ingredients from nearby suppliers.
Indonesia targets the program to reach 83 million beneficiaries this year, with future expansion planned for elderly people and persons with disabilities.
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Translator: M. Zulfikar, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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