Sudaryono appointed to lead Indonesia's troubled free meals program
Deputy Agriculture Minister Sudaryono has been named head of Indonesia's National Nutrition Agency following the sudden resignation of Nanik Sudaryati Deyang, marking the third leadership change for the agency in less than two months.
Sudaryono appointed to lead Indonesia's troubled free meals program
Deputy Agriculture Minister Sudaryono pledged to fulfill his mandate to the best of his ability after President Prabowo Subianto appointed him head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) on Wednesday, following the resignation of Nanik Sudaryati Deyang for health reasons.
The appointment marks the third leadership change at BGN within two months, underscoring continuing instability at the agency responsible for Indonesia's flagship Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program.
Speaking to reporters in Jakarta on Wednesday, Sudaryono said State Secretary Minister Prasetyo Hadi and Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya informed him that his swearing-in ceremony was scheduled for that afternoon. He confirmed he would leave the Agriculture Ministry to focus exclusively on leading BGN.
The National Nutrition Agency was established on August 15, 2024, by then-President Joko Widodo to coordinate national efforts in nutritional fulfillment and facilitate what would become President Prabowo's signature social policy initiative.
Program scale and challenges
The MBG program, launched in early January 2025, targets 82.9 million beneficiaries including schoolchildren, toddlers, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers, making it one of Indonesia's largest social programs. The initiative aims to combat stunting, which affects approximately 21.5% of Indonesian children according to the 2023 Indonesian Health Survey.
As of April 30, 2026, the program had reached 62 million beneficiaries and spent Rp75 trillion ($4.24 billion). However, implementation has faced significant challenges, including over 5,000 cases of food poisoning among schoolchildren earlier this year, prompting calls from civil society groups to suspend the program.
The program's budget has undergone substantial reductions, from an original allocation of Rp335 trillion to Rp268 trillion in May 2026, and further cut to Rp229 trillion ($12.8 billion) on July 21, just one day before Sudaryono's appointment.
Rapid leadership turnover
Deyang served as BGN chief for approximately 45 days after taking over in early June 2026. Her brief tenure followed the arrest of former BGN chief Dadan Hindayana by the Attorney General's Office on June 3, 2026, one day after his dismissal by President Prabowo on corruption charges related to alleged mismanagement of the MBG program.
In her social media post announcing her resignation Wednesday, Deyang said she needed to undergo heart treatment overseas. President Prabowo approved her resignation, and she pledged continued support for the MBG program.
Sudaryono said he had monitored the program's implementation while at the Agriculture Ministry, particularly regarding farmers', livestock breeders', and fishers' roles in its supply chains. He noted the national priority program has benefited several agricultural commodities, including chicken and eggs.
Increased oversight
The new BGN chief assumes his role amid heightened scrutiny of the program. On July 10, 2026, President Prabowo ordered regional leaders, military and police to strictly oversee MBG distribution kitchens, stating that some individuals were infiltrating the program to steal from it.
When asked about growing public scrutiny of the agency, Sudaryono said he was determined to carry out his new responsibilities to the best of his ability. He called leading BGN and its flagship program a great honor and pledged to seek support from all stakeholders.
The MBG program was a central campaign promise during Prabowo's 2024 presidential election campaign and is considered his administration's flagship social policy, making the stability of its leadership crucial to the government's broader policy agenda.