RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Free Nutritious Meal Program (MBG) run by the government thru the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) positions Indonesia as one of the countries with the largest school meal programs in the world. Based on data released as of 3 March 2026, the number of beneficiaries of this program has reached 61,239,037 people, with 49,057,682 of them being school students.

Global data compiled by the World Food Program (WFP) shows that Indonesia ranks second in the world in the number of beneficiaries of the school meal program. India holds the first position with 118 million beneficiaries, while Indonesia is above several major countries such as Brazil (38.5 million), China (34.57 million), and the United States (30.1 million).

That achievement demonstrates the government's strong commitment to ensuring the nutritional needs of school-age children as part of human resource development. The MBG program not only aims to improve the nutritional intake of students, but also serves as a strategic instrument to enhance learning concentration and the health quality of the younger generation.

Head of the Legal and Public Relations Bureau of BGN, Khairul Hidayarti, said that this achievement is an indicator that Indonesia is starting to play an important role in the global effort to strengthen child nutrition resilience thru the school meal program.

"With more than 61.2 million beneficiaries, Indonesia is now one of the countries with the largest school meal programs in the world. This demonstrates the government's commitment to ensuring that every child has access to safe and nutritious food of high quality," Khairul in Jakarta, Sunday, 8 March 2026.

According to him, the MBG program is also part of the government's long-term strategy to prepare a healthy and productive generation of Indonesians. Currently, the largest beneficiaries come from the school student population, reaching over 49 million, so the impact of this program is directly felt in the educational environment.

"The MBG Program is not just about providing food, but also an investment in the nation's future. With strong implementation support, this program is expected to enhance the quality of nutrition while also supporting the improvement of Indonesian children's academic achievements," he added.

Globally, out of 174 countries in the world, only 107 countries have implemented school meal programs as national programs. With the increasing number of beneficiaries, Indonesia has now become one of the examples of large-scale school meal program implementation in an effort to build a healthy and smart generation.