JAKARTA – Indonesia’s National Nutrition Agency (Badan Gizi Nasional/BGN) has entered into a strategic partnership with the Halal Product Assurance Agency (Badan Penyelenggara Jaminan Produk Halal/BPJPH) to implement a comprehensive halal oversight system across the country’s nutrition service centers.

Mandatory Halal Supervisors at Every Service Center

Under the new agreement, each Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (Satuan Pelayanan Pemenuhan Gizi/SPPG) will be assigned a dedicated halal supervisor responsible for overseeing the Halal Product Process (Proses Produk Halal/PPH). This collaboration represents a concrete implementation of Law Number 33 of 2014 concerning Halal Product Assurance within a national priority program.

The partnership aims to guarantee that all products, particularly those provided through SPPGs under the Free Nutritious Meals (Makan Bergizi Gratis/MBG) program, meet established halal standards. This initiative reflects the government’s commitment to ensuring food quality, safety, and religious compliance in publicly funded nutrition programs.

Ensuring Quality, Cleanliness, and Religious Compliance

Nanik S. Deyang, Deputy Head of BGN, emphasized the importance of maintaining the highest standards in the national nutrition program. “We want every nutritious meal served to the public to reflect the highest quality standards—clean, healthy, and halal. This is the state’s responsibility toward public nutrition and trust,” Nanik stated in a press release issued Thursday, October 16, 2025.

The policy of placing halal supervisors at every SPPG means that the entire production process—from ingredient procurement to meal preparation and serving—will fall under the direct oversight of trained halal supervisors who understand and apply Halal Product Assurance (Jaminan Produk Halal/JPH) principles.

“We want every SPPG to become a tangible example of halal practices that are easy to implement and unite all parties without barriers,” Nanik added.

Comprehensive Training Program for Halal Supervisors

BPJPH Head Ahmad Haikal Hasan revealed that both agencies are currently preparing training programs for SPPG halal supervisors, involving JPH Training Institutions from vocational training centers and universities across Indonesia.

“With halal supervisors at every SPPG, the principles of trustability, traceability, and transparency can truly be implemented from upstream to downstream, producing products that are healthy, safe, nutritious, as well as halal and thoyyib (wholesome),” Haikal explained.

The official, commonly known as Babe Haikal, noted that halal certification has become a global standard adopted by various countries, including non-Muslim nations. This positions Indonesia’s initiative within a broader international framework of food safety and quality assurance.

Beyond Administrative Compliance

“We will ensure that all mechanisms operate according to national halal standards. The implementation of halal standards at SPPGs is not merely an administrative policy but an integral part of public food governance with integrity,” Haikal continued.

The meeting between BGN and BPJPH was attended by several key officials, including Tigor Pangaribuan, Deputy for Systems and Governance at BGN, and Retired Lieutenant General Dadang Hendrayudha, Deputy for Monitoring and Supervision at BGN. Both officials expressed support for accelerating halal certification across all SPPGs.

Significance for Indonesia’s Nutrition Program

This partnership arrives at a critical time for Indonesia’s ambitious Free Nutritious Meals program, which has already created approximately 1.5 million jobs and is expected to contribute significantly to economic growth. President Prabowo Subianto has expressed determination to reduce food poisoning incidents in the MBG program to zero, making food safety and quality assurance paramount concerns.

The integration of halal oversight into the nutrition service framework demonstrates Indonesia’s commitment to balancing public health objectives with religious and cultural values. By ensuring that every meal served through government programs meets halal standards, the initiative builds public trust and accommodates the dietary requirements of Indonesia’s predominantly Muslim population.

A Model for Public Food Governance

The establishment of halal supervisors at nutrition service centers represents a pioneering approach to public food governance in Indonesia. By embedding religious compliance within quality assurance systems, the government is creating a comprehensive framework that addresses multiple stakeholder concerns simultaneously.

The emphasis on “trustability, traceability, and transparency” reflects modern food safety principles while incorporating Islamic dietary requirements. This integrated approach may serve as a model for other countries seeking to balance religious considerations with public nutrition programs.

Implementation Timeline and Future Outlook

With training programs currently in development and halal supervisors being prepared for deployment, the full implementation of this system across Indonesia’s SPPGs is expected to proceed rapidly. The involvement of training institutions nationwide ensures that supervisors will have standardized knowledge and skills to maintain consistent halal standards across all regions.

As Indonesia continues to expand its nutrition service infrastructure, the integration of halal oversight from the program’s inception demonstrates forward-thinking policy design. Rather than retrofitting halal compliance into existing systems, the government is building it into the foundation of the nation’s nutrition services.

This proactive approach to ensuring halal compliance in public nutrition programs underscores Indonesia’s commitment to providing food services that meet both nutritional and religious requirements, setting a precedent for comprehensive public food governance in the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation.

Original Article:

Investor.id. (2025, October 16). Gandeng BPJPH, BGN Siapkan Pegawai Penyelia Halal di Setiap SPPG. Retrieved from https://investor.id/national/413563/gandeng-bpjph-bgn-siapkan-pegawai-penyelia-halal-di-setiap-sppg