Indonesia Overhauls Free Meal Program Amid Corruption Scandals and Falling Approval

The National Nutrition Agency (NNA/BGN) is conducting a sweeping overhaul of Indonesia's free nutritious meal program, shutting down 883 kitchens and dismissing hundreds of employees while simultaneously planning the development of 13,000 new service units. Newly appointed agency chief Sudaryono ordered the permanent closure of the kitchens due to poor hygiene, failure to meet operational standards, inadequate wastewater treatment, and allegations of corruption involving kickbacks from suppliers.

The administrative cleanup follows a period of significant instability within the agency; former head Dadan Hindayana and two deputies were arrested on corruption charges, and Sudaryono's immediate predecessor resigned for health reasons after less than two months in office. These governance issues, alongside repeated food-poisoning cases, have contributed to a sharp decline in public satisfaction. A survey by Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting (SMRC) found that approval of the program fell to 33.8% in July from 62.5% in November. Similarly, President Prabowo Subianto's approval rating dropped to 51.1% in July, with respondents citing worsening economic conditions.

To address these failures, Sudaryono has vowed to improve transparency by creating a system for parents to track menu content and has closed kitchens that did not meet standards. Financially, the government has reduced the 2026 budget for the program to 229 trillion rupiah ($12.68 billion), with further cuts possible as investors express concern over fiscal deficits.

Despite these setbacks, Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Zulkifli Hasan signaled the continued expansion of the program. The government plans to build 13,000 new kitchens in phases, prioritizing underdeveloped and frontier regions with high stunting rates, such as East Nusa Tenggara and the Papua Highlands.