The Makan Bergizi Gratis (MBG) program initiated by the government has emerged as a strategic policy that not only focuses on improving the nutritional quality of the population but also opens significant opportunities to strengthen Indonesia’s people-centered economy. With its broad coverage and the large-scale demand for food supplies, MBG has the potential to become a new economic driver that involves micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across various regions. By integrating MSMEs into the food supply chain, the program does more than meet the nutritional needs of its beneficiaries; it also creates a more equitable circulation of economic activity at the local level.
The CEO of Danantara Indonesia, Rosan Roeslani, believes that the MBG program holds great potential to strengthen the integration of MSMEs within the national economic ecosystem. According to him, many small business actors already have quality products and sufficient production potential, yet they are not fully connected to larger markets. The MBG program can serve as a bridge that links the economic potential of local communities with the stable and sustainable demand for national food supplies. In this sense, MBG functions not only as a social program but also as a policy instrument capable of promoting community-based economic growth.
One of the key challenges faced by MSMEs has long been limited access to production technology, financing, and certification processes, which are often prerequisites for entering broader distribution chains. Many MSME actors are capable of producing various food commodities of good quality, ranging from agricultural and livestock products to locally processed foods. However, without adequate processing technology and distribution systems, such potential is often not fully integrated into the national market system.
Within this context, the MBG program can act as a catalyst for increasing MSME capacity. The need for large quantities of food supplies creates opportunities for partnerships between the government, cooperatives, and small business actors across different regions. With relatively stable demand, MSMEs have the opportunity to increase production scale, improve product quality, and develop higher business standards.
Strengthening the role of MSMEs within the MBG program also has broader economic implications. When the food supply for MBG kitchens is sourced from local farmers, village livestock breeders, food cooperatives, and small business actors, the economic benefits are not concentrated solely within large industries. Instead, economic circulation occurs directly within communities, thereby encouraging regional economic growth while strengthening national economic resilience in a more balanced manner.
This potential is clearly reflected in the variety of food commodities required by the MBG program, including rice, vegetables, eggs, meat, and dairy products. Many of these commodities are already produced by local farmers and livestock breeders spread across various regions of Indonesia. If the supply chain can be well organized and involve MSMEs more extensively, MBG could develop into a vast and sustainable people-centered economic ecosystem.
Rosan Roeslani emphasized that national economic development cannot rely solely on the strength of large industries. A healthy economic structure requires balance between the corporate sector and the people’s economy. Therefore, future development policies need to provide broader opportunities for MSMEs to actively participate in the national economic value chain.
A more inclusive economic approach is also essential to ensure that the benefits of economic growth are distributed more evenly among the population. When MSMEs gain wider access to markets, community income increases and ultimately strengthens domestic purchasing power. Such conditions create a more stable and sustainable cycle of economic growth.
The Makan Bergizi Gratis (MBG) program has the potential to become one of the key foundations for building such a people-centered economy. In addition to improving the nutritional quality of younger generations, the program opens broad opportunities for collaboration between the government, communities, and small business actors. This synergy can create an economic ecosystem that focuses not only on growth but also on equitable welfare distribution.
If managed optimally, MBG could develop into one of the largest people-based economic ecosystems ever built in Indonesia. Through the involvement of millions of MSME actors in the food supply chain, the program has the potential to create new employment opportunities, strengthen food security, and improve the welfare of communities in various regions.
Ultimately, the success of the MBG program will not be measured solely by the number of beneficiaries or the size of the allocated budget. Its true success lies in how effectively the program strengthens the people’s economy and creates broader business opportunities for communities. In this context, the synergy between MBG and MSMEs can represent the true face of a people-centered economy—where development is not only about growth, but also about the fair distribution of its benefits across all layers of society.
Rivka Mayangsari is an economic observer.