Entrepreneur Groups Support MBG Program to Strengthen National Economy

By: Gavin Asadit )*

The implementation of the Free Nutritious Meal Program (MBG) launched in January 2025 has received a positive response from various parties, including entrepreneurs in Indonesia. They believe that this program not only improves the nutritional quality of the community, but also strengthens the national economy through the empowerment of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and the utilization of local food production.

Deputy Chairperson for the Coordinator of Organization, Law, and Communication of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin), Yukki Nugrahawan Hanafi, stated that with a budget allocation of IDR 71 trillion, the MBG program is a strategic step to strengthen the domestic economy. According to him, this program has great potential to absorb thousands of MSMEs into its ecosystem, so that it can encourage MSMEs to move up a class and increase their competitiveness in the market.

His party also assessed that this program could have a significant impact on job growth, especially because it involves a long supply chain starting from the agricultural sector, processing, to distribution. This will create many new job opportunities that can reduce the unemployment rate in Indonesia.

Coordinating Minister for Community Empowerment, Muhaimin Iskandar, emphasized that the MBG program must have a positive economic impact on the community, especially for local business actors around schools, MSMEs, and cooperatives. He stated that MBG must be an ecosystem that drives the community’s economy, so that students will be met in terms of nutrition, while the surrounding community will also be empowered through economic growth.

Head of the National Nutrition Agency, Dadan Hindayana, added that this program targets 82.9 million recipients, including school students, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and toddlers. To achieve this target, large amounts of raw materials such as rice, eggs, chicken, vegetables, and milk from farmers and livestock breeders in rural areas are needed. The procurement of these raw materials is projected to trigger large money circulation in rural communities, increase village liquidity, and directly empower the rural economy.

Large entrepreneurs who want to be involved in the MBG program are encouraged to collaborate with cooperatives or Village-Owned Enterprises (BUMDes). This aims to ensure that the economic benefits are felt directly by the local community. By involving MSMEs and cooperatives, it is hoped that new jobs will be created and the local and regional economy will be boosted.

The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) is also ready to make the MBG program a success, considering its positive impacts in terms of increasing protein and the economy. The Director General of Strengthening the Competitiveness of Marine and Fishery Products, Budi Sulistiyo, stated that Indonesia has important capital to escape from nutritional problems as well as protein self-sufficiency and continues to be committed together so that fish can become the main source of protein for the community.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chairman of the BAKN DPR RI, Herman Khaeron, said that the MBG program not only meets the nutritional needs of beneficiaries, but also becomes a new economic generator in the region. According to him, with the intake of nutrition and nutrients that are met, this program can prepare the young generation of Indonesia to become superior resources towards Indonesia Emas 2045. In addition, this program will also improve the regional economy because it involves local residents and local raw materials in providing nutritious food in every Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG).

Although the MBG program costs significant funds, estimated at IDR 420 trillion per year, the government is optimistic that this investment will provide real and positive results for the Indonesian economy as a whole. Coordinating Minister for Food, Zulkifli Hasan stated that additional budget is needed so that this program can run until the end of the year, and the expenditure of funds of that amount is said to be consistent every year.

From the perspective of the business world, the success of the MBG program is not only seen from its short-term economic impact, but also the long-term benefits in developing the quality of Indonesia’s human resources. With better nutritional fulfillment, healthier and more productive human resources can be the driving force of economic growth in the future.

The MBG program is expected to be a comprehensive solution that not only improves the quality of community nutrition, but also empowers the local economy, creates jobs, and prepares a superior generation for Indonesia’s future. Collaboration between the government, entrepreneurs, MSMEs, cooperatives, and the community is the key to the success of this program in realizing a healthier and more prosperous Indonesia.