Sontry Napitupulu – The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) has officially launched an internal consolidation effort, with a primary focus on maximizing budget efficiency for the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program. Despite the program's budget allocation being adjusted to Rp268 trillion, BGN leadership remains committed to slashing operational costs without compromising its target beneficiaries.
The Head of BGN, Nanik S. Deyang, emphasized that this move was taken to ensure that every rupiah from the state budget (APBN) is utilized effectively and precisely targeted.
"Our main discussion revolves around a work plan aimed at budget efficiency across various sectors. We hope to reduce the budget further without scaling back the number of beneficiaries," Nanik said during a press conference in Jakarta on Thursday, June 4, 2026.
To achieve these targets, the agency is set to implement four key strategic measures. This begins with a rigorous refocusing of beneficiaries by re-validating data to ensure food assistance reaches those most in need.
Simultaneously, a moratorium on new kitchens has been established, temporarily freezing the registration and construction of new hubs to allow for a comprehensive restructuring of the existing distribution network.
Quality control also remains a top priority; the agency plans to overhaul standard operating procedures by conducting audits and intensive human resource training for currently operational kitchens, with a firm policy of suspending any facility that fails to meet quality standards.
Furthermore, for those in underdeveloped, frontier, and outermost (3T) regions, the BGN is exploring flexible alternative schemes, such as leveraging State-Owned Enterprise (BUMN) CSR funds, to ensure the program's reach without placing an excessive burden on the state budget.
Strategic shift to frontier regions
Regarding the moratorium, Nanik explained that while over 27,000 kitchens are currently operational, their concentration is heavily clustered in urban areas, leaving frontier regions underserved.
"Having too many unorganized kitchens is inefficient because we incur kitchen rental costs. We are putting on the brakes to calculate the ideal number of kitchens needed in each sub-district or regency," she explained.
The BGN is now collaborating with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (Dikdasmen) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (Kemendagri) to assess actual field requirements for more equitable distribution.
In line with the President's directives, the focus will shift toward cost-effective implementation models in remote areas. Nanik concluded by stressing that the goal is not necessarily to build a physical kitchen at every point, but to ensure every child receives their rights through sustainable and well-governed management.