By: Rani Setiawan)*
The Free Nutritious Meal Program or MBG has become one of the innovative steps that provides a breath of fresh air for the food and livestock sector in Indonesia. This program is designed to create sustainable and profitable investment opportunities, as well as support government efforts in strengthening national food security. Through a collaboration and technology-based approach, this program is considered capable of attracting the attention of various groups who want to contribute to economic development from the real sector.
In recent years, attention to the livestock sector has increased along with the increasing need for animal protein food. The government has pushed various policies and incentives to encourage increased production and efficiency in this field. The MBG program has emerged as a strategic solution that not only provides investment opportunities, but also prioritizes sustainability and empowerment of local farmers.
IPB Professor and Milk Expert Team at the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Epi Taufik, said the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program deserves serious attention. He highlighted that the MBG program not only addresses the issue of malnutrition in Indonesian children, but also opens up strategic economic opportunities as a new market for the national food and livestock sector.
This is a reasonable view. The MBG program, if managed well, has two main dimensions, namely the social dimension in the form of improving the nutritional quality of the younger generation, and the economic dimension in the form of market guarantees for domestic agricultural and livestock products. The presence of a “definite” market formed by this state intervention can be a pillar of stability for local food business actors, including dairy farmers, vegetable farmers, and other staple food producers. In other words, this is a model of state intervention that is not only charitable, but also productive.
Through a structured investment scheme, communities are given the opportunity to participate in livestock businesses without having to own land or in-depth technical experience. Funds invested by investors are managed professionally and used to support livestock operations run by trained local workers. With this approach, the wheels of the rural economy are also driven, in line with the government’s mission in equitable development.
Security and transparency are the main factors maintained in the implementation of this program. A digital-based monitoring system is used to ensure that all activities can be monitored and reported regularly. Thus, the trust of investors can continue to be built and maintained. In addition, the production results of the farms involved in this program are directed to meet the needs of the domestic market, thereby strengthening the national food supply chain.
Minister of Agriculture, Andi Amran Sulaiman that agricultural downstreaming can be a fast track for Indonesia towards independence and even potentially becoming a superpower country deserves wide support. This view reflects the direction of agricultural development that is not only focused on production, but also on strengthening added value, which has often been a weak point in the national economic chain.
So far, Indonesia has been known as an agricultural country with abundant natural resources. However, this potential has not been optimized through a structured downstream process. Agricultural products are still widely sold in raw form, without going through processing stages that can increase sales value, expand the market, and absorb more workers. This is a gap that, if handled seriously, could be a source of enormous economic strength.
This effort is considered in line with the government’s vision of increasing investment in the food sector, which has so far received little attention. By opening access for the wider community to be involved directly or indirectly, the MBG program has succeeded in creating a spirit of mutual cooperation in agribusiness-based economic development. Small farmers who previously had difficulty accessing funding can now run their businesses better, supported by an integrated management system.
Support for programs such as MBG is expected to continue to grow, both from the private and public sectors. Collaboration between parties is the key to success in creating a mutually beneficial and sustainable ecosystem. The government through various ministries and related institutions continues to provide space and regulations that facilitate the growth of similar programs in various regions.
Deputy Minister of Investment and Downstream, Todotua Pasaribu, said the government’s plan to build an integrated livestock ecosystem is a strategic step that is very relevant to the current challenges of fulfilling national nutrition and food sovereignty. This effort not only answers the need for domestic meat and milk, but is also in line with a big vision such as the MBG Program, which requires a sustainable supply of animal protein.
So far, Indonesia still faces a fairly high dependence on imports of meat and dairy products. This dependence creates vulnerability to supply and price fluctuations, especially when there is disruption.Therefore, the development of an integrated livestock ecosystem from upstream to downstream is a very logical and urgent way out.
With an approach that prioritizes social and economic impacts, the MBG program has proven that the livestock sector can be a promising investment area. The future of Indonesia’s food security will be even stronger if initiatives like this continue to be developed and receive broad support from all elements of society.
)* The author is a Public Policy Observer
