By: Andi Mahesa )*
The government continues to demonstrate its commitment to improving public welfare through various strategic policies. One of the leading programs that has now proven to have a positive impact is the Free Nutritious Meal Program (MBG). This program not only aims to improve public nutritional intake, but also contributes significantly to economic growth and job creation in Indonesia. With the MBG, poverty rates can be reduced, while strengthening national economic resilience.
Chairman of the National Economic Council (DEN), Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, emphasized that MBG has had a major impact on the Indonesian economy. This program plays an important role in creating jobs and reducing poverty rates. According to him, the success of this program can be seen from its broad impacts, ranging from increasing economic growth, expanding the food industry ecosystem, to strengthening community welfare.
MBG is not just a social program, but also a policy instrument that accelerates national economic recovery. By providing nutritious food to the community, especially low-income groups, their quality of life improves, which ultimately impacts labor productivity.
Member of the National Economic Council, Arief Anshory Yusuf, said that MBG has succeeded in creating 1.9 million new jobs and reducing poverty rates by 5.8 percent. This is an achievement that shows that the policies implemented by the government are not only right on target, but are also able to provide a positive impact on the national economy at large.
This program creates various job opportunities in various sectors, ranging from food production workers, food distribution, to small and medium enterprises that support the provision of MBG needs. Thus, this policy not only helps people in obtaining nutritious food, but also increases their purchasing power through the creation of stable and sustainable jobs.
Head of the National Nutrition Agency, Dadan Hindayana, said that the benefits of MBG are not only felt by school children who are the main recipients, but also by farmers, ranchers, and fishermen involved in the supply chain of this program. MBG involves around 50 thousand workers, covering various sectors ranging from chicken farms, rice farming, to fishermen who supply fish directly from the port.
This success shows that MBG has a domino effect in improving the local economy. With this program, various small and medium industry sectors also benefit, resulting in better economic equality. This program also indirectly encourages national food security, because it strengthens the domestic production sector.
More broadly, MBG is a reflection of the government’s policy that is pro-people. Nutritious food is a basic right of every citizen, and through this program, the government ensures that every school child from a low-income family has access to healthy food. With good nutritional intake, their thinking power and concentration increase, which contributes to improving the quality of national education.
In addition to impacting the health and education sectors, MBG also supports the government’s vision in building superior and competitive human resources. A healthier and more productive generation will play a role in driving sustainable economic growth.
One of the main challenges in the Indonesian economy is the high unemployment rate. Through MBG, the government has opened almost 2 million new jobs, which is a real solution to reducing unemployment. This program provides an opportunity for workers affected by various global economic dynamics to return to work, both in the MSME, agriculture, livestock, and food distribution sectors.
More than just providing jobs, MBG also improves the skills of the workforce in various sectors. With this program, many workers have the opportunity to develop their skills in the field of food production and distribution supply chains, which ultimately increases the competitiveness of the Indonesian workforce.
In addition to helping improve food security, MBG also plays a role in reducing economic disparities. This program provides wider access to low-income communities to enjoy nutritious food, thereby reducing the economic burden they face. With MBG, poor families no longer need to worry about additional costs to meet the needs of healthy food for their children.
With integrated policies and oriented towards people’s welfare, MBG is one of the successful examples of how government programs can provide direct benefits to the community. Equality in better access to food will encourage equal welfare throughout Indonesia.
Seeing the various positive impacts that have been felt, it is time for all elements of society to support the MBG Program so that it can continue and develop. This support does not only come from the government, but also from the business world, academics, and the wider community who together can strengthen the implementation of this policy.
This program has proven to be a real solution in national economic recovery, job creation, and improving the quality of life of the community. By supporting MBG, every individual also plays a role in creating a more prosperous, inclusive, and competitive Indonesia in the future.
)* The author is a student who lives in Jakarta.
