MBG Program Forms Human Resource Investment in the Future
By: Gavin Asadit
The Free Nutritious Meal Program (MBG) has been launched by the Indonesian government as a strategic effort to improve the quality of human resources (HR) and prepare the golden generation in 2045. With a budget of IDR 71 trillion, this program is the largest HR investment in Indonesian history. This program is designed to provide long-term benefits, not only in terms of public health but also in building a stronger and more productive generation in the future.
Indonesia faces serious challenges related to nutritional problems, such as stunting and malnutrition in children. Data shows that Indonesia’s population growth is projected to reach 324 million people in 2045, with most of the growth coming from underprivileged families. Without proper intervention, this condition can result in future generations having low quality HR. For this reason, the government sees the importance of policies that can directly address this challenge.
In response to this, the government under the leadership of President Prabowo Subianto launched the MBG program on January 6, 2025. This program aims to provide free access to nutritious food for school children, toddlers, and pregnant and lactating mothers, to ensure they get sufficient nutritional intake for optimal growth and development. With this program, it is hoped that the stunting rate in Indonesia can be reduced significantly in the next few years.
The implementation of the MBG program involves various parties, including ministries, institutions, and local governments. The Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Dadan Hindayana, emphasized the importance of collaboration between agencies to make this program a success. He said that this program not only focuses on improving nutrition, but also contributes to economic growth by creating jobs through the establishment of 30,000 Nutrition Fulfillment Service Units (SPPG) throughout Indonesia. This program will create job opportunities for local communities, especially in the food and logistics sectors. Thus, the effects of this program are not only limited to direct beneficiaries, but also have a broad impact on society as a whole.
Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Investment and Downstream, Todotua Pasaribu, added that the MBG program has a positive impact not only on health aspects, but also in shaping the character and social interactions of children. With sufficient and nutritious food intake, children are expected to be more focused on learning and being active at school. In addition, this program involves Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in procuring food ingredients, thereby boosting the local economy. MSMEs in various regions have the opportunity to be part of the food distribution chain that supports the sustainability of this program.
Although the MBG program has been running well, there are several challenges that need to be overcome. One of them is ensuring that the distribution of nutritious food is right on target and evenly distributed throughout Indonesia, including remote areas. Inadequate infrastructure in several areas is a challenge in distributing food to beneficiaries. Therefore, the government continues to develop more efficient logistics strategies to overcome this problem. In addition, strict supervision of the quality and safety of the food served is needed. Minister of Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (P2MI), Abdul Kadir Karding, emphasized that this program is a long-term investment that will form a smart, resilient, and well-mannered generation. With this program, Indonesian children have a greater opportunity to grow into healthy individuals, have high competitiveness, and are able to contribute to national development. He hopes that this program can continue and get support from various parties to achieve the goal of Indonesia Emas 2045. Active participation of the community and the private sector is also an important factor in ensuring the sustainability of this program.
