Jakarta – The Free Nutritious Meal Program initiated by the government is increasingly showing its impact on the economic growth of the community, especially for poor families and vulnerable groups. Through this program, the government has succeeded in providing access to nutritious food to millions of citizens who have had difficulty obtaining adequate food intake.
This program not only meets the nutritional needs of the community, but also plays a role in boosting the local economy. Many sectors, such as agriculture, food distribution, and MSMEs, feel the direct benefits of the implementation of this program which began in 2024.
Chairman of the National Economic Council (DEN), Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, gave a positive response regarding the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program which has begun to be implemented.
Luhut assessed that this program has a positive impact at the village level. “There is a lot of money circulating in the village. There are economic activities. People are starting to sell vegetables and other foods. This is only one week,” said Luhut.
Luhut emphasized that this program is an important step in supporting economic equality, especially in rural areas.
“This program is in line with the government’s efforts to improve social welfare and reduce poverty in Indonesia,” Luhut continued.
On the same occasion, National Economic Council Member Arief Anshory Yusuf said the MBG program helped ease the burden on household consumption.
“One child gets Rp10 thousand, if a family has two children, that means Rp20 thousand per day, so Rp400 thousand per month. That is almost equivalent to the poverty line,” said Arief.
The MGB program works with local farmers and small entrepreneurs, this program also provides market opportunities for local products that were previously less accessible to many consumers.
Minister of Finance, explained the benefits of the MBG Program for economic growth. Sri Mulyani stated, in the 2025 State Budget, Rp 71 trillion has been budgeted for the MBG Program.
“The impact of the MBG Program is expected to increase regional/village economic activities, especially MSMEs, create job opportunities, and encourage economic growth,” said Sri Mulyani.
The government is committed to continuing to expand the scope of this program and ensuring that every citizen has access to healthy and nutritious food, while continuing to support economic sectors that provide direct benefits to the community.
