Several Foreign Investors Explore Investment in MBG Program

Jakarta – The Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) Program initiated by the government of President Prabowo Subianto has begun to attract the attention of foreign investors. Several global companies from various sectors, including the food and health industries, are exploring investment opportunities in this program.

This step is believed to be able to strengthen national food security and provide broad benefits to the community, especially for school-age children who are the main targets of the program.

Charge d’Affaires (CDA) of the Polish Embassy to Indonesia, Maciej Tumulec, said that as one of Indonesia’s strategic partners in the European Union, Poland sees investment opportunities in the MBG program and the construction of 3 million houses every year for low-income communities.

“We have started to promote what we can do regarding the free meal program. We are ready to help Indonesia by sharing our experience in implementing this program,” he said.

The involvement of foreign investors can also create opportunities for local entrepreneurs, especially Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), to be part of the supply chain of this program. With investment, the distribution of nutritious food to all corners of the country can be done more effectively and sustainably.

Australia’s Business Champion for Indonesia, Jennifer Westacott said there was a great opportunity for business people in Australia to get involved in the MBG program. Australian companies have also begun to express their interest in this program during her visit to Indonesia this time.

“Everyone is very excited about this program. If you look at the scale alone, 80 million lunches a day. If you take into account everything that’s in that lunch box, there’s a big supply chain there,” Westacott said.

Depok City DPRD Chairman Ade Supriyatna said the MBG program is not only an effort to meet children’s nutritional needs, but also a long-term investment to build a healthier, smarter, and more competitive generation in the future.

“This is an interesting program, as far as I know, it has never existed in Indonesia. The enthusiasm of the community, and also students, is very supportive of this program,” he said.

The government continues to monitor this investment process so that it remains in accordance with the principles of food independence and siding with local farmers. With synergy between the government, investors, and domestic business actors, the MBG Program is expected to be an important milestone in building national food security and improving the quality of life of the nation’s next generation. []