Indonesia’s flagship nutrition scheme has expanded to 27,486 service units across all 38 provinces, while authorities suspend more than 1,200 kitchens lacking hygiene certification.
Indonesia’s Free Nutritious Meals programme had reached more than 57 million people by September 30, the state news agency ANTARA reported, as President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka neared their second year in office. The scheme now spans 27,486 Nutrition Fulfilment Service Units across 38 provinces and serves students, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and toddlers.
The pace of expansion has been rapid. Reuters-style figures published earlier by RRI put enrolment at 61.99 million by May 12, while data compiled by Katadata showed 61.62 million recipients by March 9, underlining how quickly the programme has grown from its January launch into one of the administration’s most visible policy initiatives. That earlier reporting also showed the scheme had already spread across more than 25,000 service units in March, with most beneficiaries on Java.
At the same time, the government has been tightening oversight. According to ANTARA, the National Nutrition Agency has temporarily shut 1,276 kitchens that lacked hygiene and sanitation certificates, part of an effort to strengthen food safety standards as the programme expands. The agency is also testing buffet-style service in selected areas, including Java, Aceh, Palembang and remote border regions, while aiming for as many as 5,000 service units to adopt that model by the end of 2026.
The long-term target remains far higher. ANTARA said the government wants the programme to reach 72,464,886 beneficiaries in 2027, while other recent reporting has placed the year-end ambition at about 82.9 million people. Beyond nutrition, the rollout has also become an economic operation of considerable scale: ANTARA reported earlier that the programme had created more than 1.28 million jobs, and UN Global Pulse has said it is helping develop a data-driven decision support system to improve targeting, distribution and efficiency.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
