Jakarta — The government has affirmed the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program as a long-term policy designed to strengthen the quality of life of the Indonesian people by meeting nutritional needs from an early age. This affirmation positions the MBG program not as a mere temporary intervention, but as part of a sustainable human development strategy to improve the health, intelligence, and productivity of future generations.
The MBG program is a response to the ongoing problems of malnutrition and unequal access to food in a number of regions. For years, issues of stunting, malnutrition, and daily food deficits have hindered the improvement of human resource quality, necessitating a measured and planned breakthrough.
“Free Nutritious Meals is essentially the provision of nutritious food at no cost. This program was born from my years of campaigning experience,” said President Prabowo Subianto while attending the Forbes Global CEO Conference 2025 some time ago.
By mid-October 2025, the government had built 11,900 MBG kitchens, serving 35.4 million children and pregnant women daily, or approximately 35 percent of the national target. The President emphasized that although challenges remain on the ground, supervision and operational standards are being continuously strengthened to ensure food quality and safety.
Furthermore, the President emphasized that MBG not only improves children’s nutrition but also stimulates regional economies. Thousands of farmers, fishermen, and small business owners now have a stable market for their produce, enabling the economy to move down to the village level.
Ade Tias Maulana, an expert from the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), explained that BGN ensures the effective and accountable implementation of MBG. A digital architecture was built to control budget use to ensure it aligns with program objectives.
“We built a digital architecture to control budget use to ensure it aligns with objectives. MBG also has strict implementation standards, from calorie adequacy to food safety,” explained Ade Tias Maulana.
In the long term, the MBG program aims to be a driving force for social transformation. Countries with strong human resources will more quickly achieve progress and economic independence. When children grow up in well-nourished conditions, their cognitive abilities improve and their academic potential develops optimally. This boosts future productivity, making the national workforce more competitive. Therefore, MBG is not just a current policy, but a strategic investment for the nation’s future.