Free Nutritious Meals: Nutritional Solution and National Economic Driver
By: Dewi Ginandri*
The Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) Program is one of the strategic policies of President Prabowo Subianto’s government which aims to improve the quality of Indonesian human resources through better nutritional fulfillment. Since its launch on January 6, 2024, this program has reached 1.46 million beneficiaries and is expected to reach up to 82.9 million people by the end of the year. This program is not only a solution to nutritional problems in Indonesia, but also has a significant economic impact by driving the local food sector.
President Prabowo Subianto emphasized the importance of transparency in the implementation of this program so that its benefits are truly felt by the community. He requested that every fund allocated be truly used for the nutritional interests of children and pregnant women. In addition, he also emphasized the importance of maintaining the quality of food ingredients, especially in terms of cleanliness and the use of healthy ingredients, such as cooking oil which must be used according to health standards.
From an economic perspective, the Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin), Hashim Djojohadikusumo, highlighted the large budget that has been allocated for the MBG program. President Prabowo has increased the budget for this program to IDR 171 trillion in 2025. With an additional budget of IDR 100 trillion from the initial budget of IDR 71 trillion, this program is expected to provide a major boost to the national economy. According to projections by the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas), this program can increase economic growth by up to 2%, making the total national economic growth potentially reach 7% this year.
The MBG program also contributes to the local economic cycle. By providing food for 82 million people every day, the national food industry has received a significant boost. Daily needs for food such as eggs, chicken, rice, tofu, tempeh, and vegetables have increased drastically, creating economic opportunities for farmers, livestock breeders, and micro-entrepreneurs in the food sector. Thus, this program is not only an investment in the quality of human resources, but also a driving force for the economy that reaches various levels of society.
From a health perspective, the program has a major impact in tackling stunting, which has long been a national nutritional problem. Nutritionist from the Bogor Agricultural Institute (IPB), Prof. Ali Khomsan, highlighted the importance of this program in order to improve the quality of Indonesia’s human resources towards the vision of Golden Indonesia 2045. According to him, this program is a major step in human resource development after the previous period focused more on infrastructure development.
Prof. Ali Khomsan also emphasized that stunting is not only a problem experienced by toddlers, but also has an impact on school-age children. Based on the 2023 Indonesian Health Survey (SKI), around 18% to 23% of elementary, junior high, and high school students experience stunting. This shows that improving nutrition in school children has a crucial role in improving the posture and health of future generations. With good implementation, the MBG program can be an effective solution in reducing stunting rates and increasing the competitiveness of Indonesia’s young generation.
Although this program has many benefits, challenges in its implementation must still be considered. Continuous evaluation is needed so that this program can run optimally and efficiently. In addition, the government needs to ensure equitable distribution, transparency in budget management, and increased capacity of supporting infrastructure, such as kitchens and food distribution management, so that the benefits can be felt by all targeted communities.
With the combination of health and economic benefits offered, the MBG program is a strategic step in creating a healthier and more productive generation. In addition, its broad impact on the food industry and national economic growth makes it one of the leading programs that must continue to be supported and improved in order to achieve sustainable development goals in Indonesia. The success of this program will be a reflection of the government’s commitment to ensuring the welfare of the community and making Indonesia a country with superior human resources in the future.
*The author is a student from Solo
