By: Anjas Tama
The Nutritious Meal Program (Makan Bergizi/MBG) initiated by the government is not only a solution to child nutrition issues and national food security, but also holds great potential as a catalyst for microeconomic growth in Indonesia. Within the context of inclusive and sustainable development, MBG successfully addresses two critical dimensions simultaneously: improving human resource quality and strengthening the people’s economy.
By procuring local food ingredients, involving MSMEs in the supply chain, and creating employment opportunities at the village and sub-district levels, the program opens up broad opportunities for the growth of microeconomic activities that were previously scattered and poorly organized.
MBG’s success in driving microeconomic growth lies in its community-based approach. The government does not treat this program as a one-way, top-down policy but instead directly involves the community as both implementers and beneficiaries.
According to Head of the National Nutrition Agency, Dadan Hindayana, the Free Nutritious Meal Program plays a dual role as a creator of demand (a new emerging market) and as a leading offtaker for locally produced goods in Indonesia. He is also optimistic that MBG will drive economic growth by generating large-scale employment, creating new opportunities in the food & beverage (F&B) sector, increasing entrepreneurial potential, and boosting regional productivity through stronger economic activity.
For example, women’s organizations (PKK), culinary MSME actors, local farmers, and village cooperatives are empowered to supply and manage the distribution of nutritious meals to schoolchildren, vulnerable groups, and underprivileged communities. This participatory model not only expands the reach of food assistance distribution but also revives grassroots-level economies long neglected by modern food distribution systems.
In practice, MBG prioritizes the procurement of local food products such as vegetables, fruits, eggs, fish, and non-rice carbohydrate sources available within the surrounding environment. This provides a market space for small-scale farmers, fishers, livestock breeders, and agribusinesses to sell their products at more stable prices and without lengthy distribution chains.
MBG indirectly creates a new market for local products that previously struggled to compete with imports or large-scale industrial goods. As demand for local food increases consistently, production is encouraged to grow, which in turn stimulates economic growth in the small-scale agricultural and livestock sectors.
Minister of National Development Planning/Head of Bappenas, Rachmat Pambudy, stated that the MBG program could contribute up to 0.86% to national economic growth. He emphasized that MBG is just one of many National Strategic Projects (PSN) with the potential to boost economic development.
As quality standards rise, the competitiveness of MSME products in the open market also improves. Simultaneously, business actors receive guidance from local governments and educational institutions to help them maintain service quality, keep transparent financial records, and access capital from microfinance institutions.
Beyond production and processing, MBG also addresses distribution and logistics. To ensure timely and targeted delivery of nutritious food, many regions are developing community-based logistics networks managed by youth groups (Karang Taruna), cooperatives, or local delivery services. These activities create new employment opportunities, particularly for rural youth and urban communities struggling to secure stable jobs.
Moreover, the use of digital platforms for data collection, ordering, and reporting promotes digital literacy among microeconomic actors—an essential foundation for the future digitalization of MSMEs.
The domino effect of MBG on the microeconomy is also evident in increased household income and stronger local purchasing power. When communities are actively involved in the MBG supply chain, more money circulates in local economies. In many areas, the funds flowing from MBG have helped revive traditional markets that had declined due to the pandemic and the global economic crisis. This demonstrates that social investment through MBG has a direct impact on local economic resilience.
Equally important, MBG fosters productive cross-sector collaboration. Local governments, village-owned enterprises (BUMDes), the private sector, NGOs, and educational institutions are increasingly involved in supporting the program’s sustainability through funding, training, and quality monitoring. With this growing ecosystem, small and medium enterprises are no longer operating in isolation but are instead supported by an interconnected, mutually reinforcing network.
Given its vast potential, MBG should not be seen merely as a social assistance program, but as a strategic economic policy tool. This calls for stronger regulations, fiscal incentives for participating microeconomic actors, and a transparent and adaptive monitoring system.
It is also important to continuously build the capacity of local business actors—not just as technical implementers, but also as innovators capable of providing creative, affordable, and culturally appropriate nutritious meals.
When Indonesian children’s nutritional needs are met while microeconomies grow stronger, the nation is laying a solid foundation for a more self-reliant, healthy, and competitive future.
*Public Policy Analyst
