JAKARTA, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia has marked the first anniversary of its nationwide free meal program (MBG), a flagship social policy initiative aimed at improving child nutrition and reducing stunting, as the government prepares for a major expansion in coverage beginning in 2026.
Launched in January 2025, the MBG program provides free nutritious meals to students at selected schools, as well as to pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and toddlers from low-income families. The initiative forms a key pillar of Indonesia's broader strategy to strengthen human capital development and address long-standing nutritional challenges.
During its first year, the program focused on building institutional and logistical foundations. Government data show that MBG was initially rolled out through pilot projects in major urban centers before being gradually extended to rural and remote regions. Millions of meal portions were distributed across dozens of provinces as authorities tested delivery mechanisms, menu standards, and monitoring systems.
Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) Dadan Hindayana said recently that a total of 19,188 nutrition fulfillment service units, known as SPPG, were established throughout 2025 to support the program.
These SPPG units function as government-supported kitchens responsible for preparing and distributing nutritious meals to beneficiaries. The program began with just 190 SPPG units, reflecting a phased approach designed to ensure service readiness and quality control before large-scale implementation.
"The year 2025 was used to build a strong foundation," Dadan said, adding that the rapid expansion of service units demonstrated the government's preparedness for nationwide implementation. He noted that the first year's achievements would serve as a critical platform for the program's next phase.
Beginning Jan. 8, 2026, the government is set to expand MBG simultaneously across Indonesia, targeting approximately 55 million beneficiaries. The projected recipients include students from early childhood education through senior high school, as well as toddlers, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers.
Under longer-term planning, authorities aim to further expand coverage to as many as 82.9 million beneficiaries, positioning MBG as one of the largest nutrition intervention programs in the country's history.
The expansion plan has drawn attention from policymakers. Netty Prasetiyani Aher, a member of Indonesia's House of Representatives, welcomed BGN's commitment to improving service quality as coverage expands in 2026, stressing that scale must be matched by strong standards.
"After the program's foundation was built on a massive scale in 2025, focusing on service quality improvement in 2026 is the right direction," she said in a statement. "A program of this size must be accompanied by consistent service standards and strict food safety measures."
She praised the establishment of thousands of SPPG units during the first year as a significant achievement, while underscoring that the next challenge lies in ensuring uniform, hygienic, and child-friendly operations across all facilities.
"Nutrition services are not only about the number of recipients, but also about food quality, kitchen hygiene, staff competency, and consistent oversight," she said. ■