Villages encouraged to form SPPG for free meals

Tangerang, Banten (ANTARA) - Villages and Development of Disadvantaged Regions Minister Yandri Susanto is supporting all village-owned enterprises (BUMDes) to supply food for the government's Free Nutritious Meals program by establishing nutritional fulfillment service units (SPPG).

The minister made this statement while attending the inauguration of an SPPG for the free meals program in Panongan Village, Tangerang District, Banten, on Wednesday.

The Ministry of Villages and Development of Disadvantaged Regions and the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) are committed to supporting BUMDes across Indonesia to improve their productivity and to boost the economy at the village level.

"If SPPG can be established faster, more people will become beneficiaries," Susanto remarked.

The ministry is also committed to developing SPPG in villages to ensure the free meals program is implemented effectively in line with the president's Asta Cita missions to improve people's nutritional intake in Indonesia.

Beyond supporting SPPG at the village level, the ministry has also encouraged all village officials to contribute to providing food supplies for the program.

The minister praised Panongan Village for setting up its SPPG, noting that this initiative serves as a model for other villages in Indonesia to take similar steps.

The Indonesian government officially launched the Free Nutritious Meals program on January 6, 2025, as one of the main programs of President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka for their 2024–2029 term.

Through the program, the government aims to improve the nutritional intake of children under five, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and schoolchildren up to high school level.