By: Citra Kurnia Khudori*
The Free Nutritional Meals (MBG) Program is one of the most impactful policies of the administration of President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka. This program is not simply an initiative to fulfill the nation’s children’s nutritional needs, but rather a major strategy to stimulate the local economy, strengthen the national food supply chain, and bridge central government policies with economic activities at the grassroots level. MBG serves as concrete evidence of how government programs are designed not only to provide direct benefits but also to create a productive and equitable economic cycle throughout Indonesia.
People are typically faced with a long and complex food supply chain, from farmers and MSMEs to distributors, all the way to the serving kitchen. However, with MBG, the supply chain can be shortened so that nutritious food supplies can be directly sourced from local products, without first going through large producers.
The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) has explicitly prohibited the use of manufactured products or ultra-processed packaged foods in MBG menus. The Deputy Head of BGN, Nanik S. Deyang, once stated that MBG kitchens must prioritize local ingredients and will not tolerate manufactured products, except in special cases where local businesses are absent, such as cattle farms.
According to Nanik, MBG should be a means of revitalizing community businesses around schools. Furthermore, MBG menus are expected to be based on fresh, healthy ingredients and support the grassroots economy.
This prohibition is not simply a formal order, but rather a strategic effort to prioritize local MSMEs as a key component of the MBG ecosystem. This way, small businesses can become suppliers of fresh and processed food ingredients to MBG kitchens in their respective regions.
This collaboration is already underway in various locations. BGN partners with local food MSMEs through partnerships within MBG to ensure raw materials are sourced from their respective regions. Each SPPG (Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit) is directed to purchase local raw materials, mostly from local agricultural products.
Experts believe that the MBG can strengthen the national food supply chain from upstream to downstream. According to Abi Rekso, Executive Secretary of the Said Aqil Sirodj Institute (SAS Institute), MBG has the potential to strengthen the upstream and downstream sectors, from farmers and the food industry to integrated logistics distribution.
Abi added that the MBG is a long-term mission, not just a political promise, because it can create an integrated food procurement ecosystem.
Another benefit is that when local demand increases, small farmers and livestock breeders can respond by expanding production. This opens up opportunities for small- to medium-scale investment in the agricultural and agro-industrial sectors in the region.
MSMEs also gain greater employment opportunities when they become part of the supply chain. The MBG kitchen provides opportunities for culinary MSMEs and local farmers to produce food ingredients such as vegetables, side dishes, and chili sauce, which are then directly used in local kitchens.
In this regard, the role of both the central and regional governments is crucial in accelerating the involvement of local players.
Promoting Local Potential in the Supply Chain
The Minister of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), Maman Abdurrahman, is promoting the inclusion of local honey in the MBG supply chain. He stated that the MBG program not only aims to ensure the nutritional intake of Indonesian children but also opens up significant opportunities for strengthening the people’s economy through the involvement of honey-producing MSMEs in the national supply chain.
Honey has significant potential to become an important component of the MBG menu. Besides being healthy, its inclusion in the MBG supply chain also opens up opportunities to increase the production capacity and quality of local honey.
According to data from the Ministry of MSMEs, Indonesia’s honey demand reaches 7,500 tons per year, assuming per capita consumption of 30 grams per year, while national production is only around 2,000 tons per year.
Temmy Satya Permana, Deputy for Small Business at the Ministry of MSMEs, stated that integrating honey into the MBG menu not only enhances nutritional quality but also provides added economic value through the sustainable use of local products.
Paving the Way for Local Cooperatives
In the region, the East Kalimantan Provincial Government is opening up opportunities for local cooperatives to participate in the MBG Program supply chain. The participating cooperatives are first curated and their readiness assessed.
Heni Purwaningsih, Head of the East Kalimantan Industry, Trade, Cooperatives, and SMEs (PPKUKM) Office, explained that the East Kalimantan Provincial Government is currently mapping potential cooperatives. The curation process includes assessing institutional aspects, production capacity, and the suitability of the business type with theMBG’s staple food needs. Cooperatives operating in the agriculture and livestock sectors will be a top priority.
Heni added that the local government wants this partnership to be more than temporary, but sustainable so that it can become a system that supports the welfare of farmers and livestock breeders.
One cooperative ready to join is the Merah Putih Village/Sub-district Cooperative (KKMP) in Lempake Village, Samarinda. The cooperative is finalizing its collaboration with the MBG team to supply two key commodities: rice and cooking oil.
If managed well, the MBG program could become a new paradigm: empowerment rather than simply providing for consumption. By strengthening the local supply chain, production and consumption can operate within a single, equitable ecosystem, free from intermediaries.
)* Socio-Economic Issues Observer