Indonesia's BGN Rejects Proposal to Replace Free Meal Program with Cash Aid

September 23, 2025 | 10:44 am

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia's National Nutrition Agency (BGN) has rejected calls to replace the government’s free nutritious meals (MBG) program with cash assistance.

BGN Head Dadan Hindayana emphasized that the MBG program scheme was designed long ago under President Prabowo Subianto and should not be altered.

Dadan argued that distributing cash would duplicate existing government programs, such as the Social Affairs Ministry’s Direct Cash Assistance (BLT). “So, we don’t want to do that,” he said at the BGN office in Jakarta on Monday, September 22, 2025.

The Bogor Agricultural Institute graduate also warned that cash transfers are vulnerable to misuse. He recalled a case in North Sumatra where a mother used funds from her child’s Smart Indonesia Card (KIP) for personal expenses instead of school fees.

According to him, the MBG program was carefully designed to improve children’s nutrition. “This program was created after long discussions. Its primary purpose is nutritional intervention,” he explained.

Dadan further stressed that the government’s vision goes beyond direct food distribution. The program is also intended to strengthen rural economic supply chains by stimulating demand for local produce.

MBG achieves this through Sentra Penyediaan Pangan Gizi (SPPG), or Public Kitchen Groups, which are tasked with preparing meals using locally sourced ingredients.

“One SPPG alone requires about five tons of rice per month, equivalent to ten tons of dried milled paddy. That means around two hectares of harvest area,” Dadan said. He noted that this system ensures steady demand for farmers, supporting food independence and local food security.

The idea of shifting to cash aid resurfaced following recent challenges in the MBG rollout, including reports of food poisoning and concerns about varying student appetites. Deputy Chair of Commission IX House of Representatives, Charles Honoris, suggested that parents should be given more flexibility.

He argued that preparing large volumes of meals often takes too long, increasing the risk of bacterial contamination.

“BGN should consider alternative approaches. Even giving money to parents, for example, so they can provide food for their children directly,” Charles said during a parliamentary session on Friday, September 19, 2025.

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