Jakarta – The Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) Program continues to attract the attention of various parties because of its potential to support the nutritional needs of the community, especially students.
Minister of SMEs, Maman Abdurrahman, emphasized the importance of the role of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in making this program a success. According to him, the involvement of MSMEs can be realized through a partnership pattern that involves the establishment of a shared kitchen, provision of raw materials, production of ready-to-eat food, and distribution.
“With this partnership pattern, MSMEs can not only be involved in production. MSMEs are also expected to gain direct benefits for the development of their businesses,” said Maman.
Maman assessed that the involvement of MSMEs in the MBG program not only increases their capacity as producers, but also strengthens the position of MSMEs in the national food supply chain. The government, through the National Nutrition Agency, has prepared an implementation scheme that empowers local MSMEs in meeting needs such as rice, vegetables, and meat. Socialization to regional heads is also carried out to ensure that regional MSMEs are maximally involved.
This program not only has a positive impact on beneficiaries, but also provides great opportunities for MSMEs to grow. By participating in the MBG program, MSMEs can increase production volume, expand markets, and get assistance in improving product quality.
This directly supports local economic empowerment and creates new jobs, thereby strengthening the economy of communities at the grassroots level.
A real example of the implementation of this program can be seen in the city of Bandung, where the implementation of MBG targets 62,000 beneficiary students from a total of 310,000 elementary to junior high school students.
Head of the Bandung City Food Security and Agriculture Agency, Gin Gin Ginanjar, emphasized the importance of the quality of the food provided. In addition, the involvement of local farmers through the Buruan Sae program, an urban farming initiative to reduce food inequality, is an integral part of the implementation of MBG.
“We also encourage the use of Dahsat kitchens (Healthy Kitchens to Overcome Stunting) in the sub-district environment to support this program,” added Gin Gin.
Acting Mayor of Bandung, A Koswara, said that the food supply chain involving MSMEs is being discussed intensively.
“We hope that MSMEs can become the main providers of basic necessities in this program,” he said.
With integrated collaboration between MSMEs, local farmers, and the government, the MBG program is expected to not only improve the nutritional quality of beneficiaries, but also provide a positive impact on the local economy.
This is in line with the government’s commitment to empowering MSMEs as the backbone of the people’s economy and creating innovative solutions to improve people’s welfare in a sustainable manner.
