MBG Program Improves and Strengthens Community Purchasing Power
Jakarta – The government continues to demonstrate its commitment to improving community welfare through the Free Nutritious Meals Program (MBG) which has been implemented gradually since the beginning of this year. This program targets elementary and middle school children throughout Indonesia, as well as pregnant women and toddlers, with the main goal of increasing nutritional intake and strengthening family economic resilience.
MBG is designed not only as an effort to overcome the problem of malnutrition and stunting, but also as a strategy to strengthen community purchasing power. With the provision of free nutritious food in schools and integrated health posts, families no longer need to allocate additional budgets for children’s food needs while at school. This directly reduces the burden of household expenses, especially for low-income communities.
Deputy for Dissemination and Information Media PCO Noudhy Valdryno said that MBG is one of the government’s efforts to strengthen community purchasing power through welfare programs that target basic needs. The government is preparing free nutritious meals for students and vulnerable groups, targeting 82 million recipients by the end of 2025.
“One of President Prabowo’s flagship programs is the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program, which targets 82 million beneficiaries by the end of 2025,” said Noudhy.
Meanwhile, the General Chairperson of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) Anindya Bakrie said the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program was able to create a multiplier effect, thereby boosting people’s purchasing power.
According to Anin, as she is familiarly called, the MBG program, which costs Rp171 trillion, will indirectly empower the regional economy.
“How do we boost people’s purchasing power? I think with this MBG program, which has a budget of Rp171 trillion, the regional economy will automatically be empowered,” said Anin.
According to Anin, this free nutritious meal program not only aims to improve the nutrition of young people and pregnant women, but also encourages downstreaming in the food security sector, from agriculture, plantations, fisheries, to animal husbandry.
“The MBG program will run sustainably and also encourage increased domestic consumption and people’s purchasing power,” added Anin.
In addition to economic benefits, this program also encourages improved quality of education. With adequate nutrition, students are expected to be more focused on learning, have better energy, and reduce the risk of illness which has an impact on school absence.
The MBG program also opens up local economic opportunities. The food ingredients used in this program are mostly purchased from local farmers, fishermen, and MSMEs. This not only ensures the freshness and sustainability of logistics, but also drives the village and regional economy.
The government is targeting that in the next two years, MBG will reach more than 60 million beneficiaries. With support from various ministries, local governments, and active community participation, the Free Nutritious Meal Program is expected to become a new pillar in the development of healthy, productive, and highly competitive Indonesian human resources.
This program emphasizes that human development is not only about physical infrastructure, but also investing in the quality of life of future generations.
[edRW]
