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View all search resultsGovt's free meal scheme to reach 80 million recipients by April, behind target
Since its launch in January, more than 11,000 children nationwide have been affected by food poisoning, according to data from the agency overseeing the free nutritious meals program.
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Workers prepare school lunch under the free nutritious meals (MBG) program at the Samarinda Police's community kitchen (SPPG) in Samarinda Ulu, East Kalimantan, on Nov. 4, 2025. (Antara/M Risyal Hidayat)
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ndonesia's free nutritious meals program is expected to reach 80 million recipients by April, said a senior minister overseeing the food sector on Monday, falling further behind its targets.
The program is aiming to reach around 55 million recipients by early January, Coordinating Food Minister Zulkifli Hasan told reporters after a meeting with government bodies to discuss food reserves for 2026.
The scheme was President Prabowo Subianto's flagship campaign promise in 2024, with the aim of distributing food to as many as 83 million school children and pregnant women, but it has been controversial due to its high costs and mounting food safety concerns.
Since its launch in January, more than 11,000 children nationwide have been affected by food poisoning, according to data from the agency overseeing the program.
Prabowo had originally targeted the program's full roll-out by the end of 2025. However, in October the target was scaled back to around 70 million as a result of a kitchen shortage.
Zulkifli did not explain why the targets have been scaled back again.
Indonesia has earmarked Rp 171 trillion (US$10.19 billion) for the program this year under the original target, and the allocation for 2026 is set to be doubled to Rp 335 trillion.
