TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) Dadan Hindayana outlined several challenges facing the implementation of the free nutritious meals program in eastern Indonesia, particularly in Papua.
“There are rarely any partners willing to enter Papua. Additionally, we have not intensively coordinated with the local government,” said Dadan at the Indonesian Parliament Complex in Jakarta on Thursday, July 10, 2025.
He estimated that Papua would require between 400 and 600 Nutrition Service Units (SPPGs) to successfully roll out President Prabowo Subianto’s flagship program. Each SPPG is expected to serve around 3,000 beneficiaries.
Currently, only 63 SPPGs are operating in Papua. To address this, Dadan plans to summon district heads from the region for a coordination meeting, which will be held in Jakarta at the end of July.
“So, we will coordinate in Jakarta with all district heads in Papua. Then, we will devise a strategy on how to accelerate nutritious meals in Papua starting from August,” he said.
Dadan pointed out a major difference in the partnership model between densely populated areas and remote or frontier regions like Papua. While the establishment of SPPGs in areas such as Java still relies heavily on private partners, the same approach does not work in less accessible regions.
Due to the lack of interest from partners in managing the program in Papua, Dadan said the government will need to build kitchen facilities directly. “In areas where there is population aggregation, agglomeration, there will definitely be partners. But in remote areas, it's the state budget that comes in,” he explained.
As of the first week of July 2025, the National Nutrition Agency estimates that the total number of beneficiaries of the program has reached nearly 7 million people.
“This has exceeded the total population of Singapore,” said Redy Hendra Gunawan, Special Staff of BGN, in a statement on Sunday, July 6.
Redy reported that the number of operational SPPGs currently stands at 1,873 units, with an additional 473 units expected to be added next week. This would bring the total to nearly 2,200 units. According to him, BGN is accelerating the verification process for SPPG partners.
There are around 4,000 SPPGs still awaiting verification. BGN is targeting around 8,000 SPPGs to be active by August, with a goal of serving approximately 24 million beneficiaries.
Hendrik Yaputra contributed to the writing of this article.
Editor's Choice: Activist Says VP Gibran Lacks Experience to Solve Papua Conflict
Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
Activist Says VP Gibran Lacks Experience to Solve Papua Conflict
34 menit lalu
The activist also questioned Gibran's ability to address human rights issues, particularly the displacement caused by armed conflict in Papua.
National Nutrition Agency Proposes Rp118tn Extra Budget for 2026 Free Meals Program
1 jam lalu
The National Nutrition Agency claims that the previously allocated budget is not sufficient to meet the needs of the free nutritious meals project for a full year.
Prabowo to Dispatch Team to Brazil for Agricultural and Renewable Energy Insights
23 jam lalu
Prabowo unveiled the plan during a meeting with Brazilian President Luiz Incio Lula da Silva on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, in Brasilia.
Brazil's Lula Offers Policy Model for Indonesia's Free Nutritious Meal Program
1 hari lalu
Brazil's Lula pledged support for Prabowo's free nutritious meal program during a meeting in Braslia on July 9, 2025, after the BRICS Summit in Rio.
Komnas HAM Urges Gibran to Stop Military Deployments in Papua
1 hari lalu
The military deployment will not solve human rights issues in Papua.
TPNPB-OPM Casts Doubt on VP Gibran's Papua Undertaking
2 hari lalu
Gibran's responsibilities will include accelerating development in Papua and addressing human rights concerns.
Two Police Officers Involved in Illegal Ammunition Sales in Papua
2 hari lalu
The Cartenz Peace Task Force has handed over 2 members of Indonesian National Police as suspects of illegal ammunition trading in Papua.
Special UN Rapporteur Visits Papua, Hears Indigenous Concerns
2 hari lalu
UN Special Rapporteur Albert Kwokwo Barume's visit to Papua was categorized as an informal or "academic visit".
Prabowo Assigns VP Gibran to Oversee Papua Issues
3 hari lalu
There is even a possibility of the vice president having an office to work from Papua to handle Papua issue.
10 Traditions of Indonesia Beyond the Familiar
3 hari lalu
The large number of traditions in Indonesia stands as a living testament to how diverse the island country can be. Explore the list here.
