By: Dela Widyaningtyas )*
The government continues to emphasize its commitment to expanding the creation of new job opportunities as part of a broader strategy to strengthen national economic resilience.
Various policies designed in an integrated manner demonstrate that efforts to create employment opportunities do not stand alone, but are closely linked to improving the quality of human resources, strengthening the people’s economy, and accelerating medium- and long-term economic growth.
This approach of improving the quality of human resources, strengthening the people’s economy, and accelerating medium- and long-term economic growth places job creation as the primary instrument to ensure that the benefits of development are widely felt by the community.
One strategic initiative that has received significant attention is the implementation of the Free Nutritious Meals Program (MBG). This program is positioned not only as a policy to meet children’s nutritional needs but also as an economic driver with a direct impact on job creation.
The Chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin), Anindya Novyan Bakrie, assessed that MBG has a dual strategic value, namely as a long-term investment to improve the quality of human resources and as an economic stimulus that works in a relatively short time.
In Anindya’s view, providing nutritious food for tens of millions of children is an important foundation for building a superior generation in the future, while also ensuring that economic activity at the real level is moving significantly now.
Anindya also highlighted MBG’s significant potential for creating new jobs through the operation of Nutrition Fulfillment Service Units (SPPG) in various regions. Assuming a substantial workforce requirement in each service kitchen, this program is estimated to employ up to millions of workers nationwide.
Anindya linked job creation to its contribution to economic growth, aligning with the government’s view that increased labor absorption is directly correlated with accelerated gross domestic product growth. In this context, MBG is considered a crucial instrument for achieving higher national economic growth targets.
The continued impact of the MBG program is also expected to spread to upstream sectors, particularly agriculture, livestock, and fisheries. The large-scale demand for food will create consistent demand for domestic products, from eggs and chicken to vegetables and fish.
This large-scale demand for food is considered capable of driving the downstreaming process in the agricultural sector, which has been suboptimal to date. The government views food downstreaming as a strategic step to strengthen economic independence while creating new job opportunities in rural areas and food production centers.
In addition to the MBG, the government is also promoting village economic strengthening through the Red and White Village Cooperative Program. This program is designed as a structural solution to stimulate the people’s economy, strengthen village MSMEs, and open up broader job opportunities, especially for the younger generation.
President Prabowo Subianto is targeting a massive acceleration of village cooperative operations, with the goal of having tens of thousands of units active in a relatively short time. This target reflects the government’s belief that cooperatives can be the backbone of the people’s economy and drive economic revival across various sectors.
The President is optimistic that the consistent development of village cooperatives will strengthen the national economy as a whole. With an economic base spread across the village and sub-district levels, the government believes the impact of job creation will be more equitable and sustainable. Cooperatives serve not only as business platforms but also as centers of local economic activity, capable of absorbing labor and increasing community incomes.
From the implementation side, the Minister of Cooperatives, Ferry Juliantono, emphasized that the Merah Putih Village Cooperative was designed to address the challenge of limited employment opportunities, especially for millennials and Gen Z.
Ferry believes the current job market demands new breakthroughs that can provide stable, community-based employment. Through village cooperatives, the government is creating space for the emergence of productive business units, locally-based economic services, and employment opportunities close to where people live.
Ferry also emphasized the importance of strengthening the human resources capacity of cooperative managers to ensure the program’s optimal implementation. The government is placing significant emphasis on providing training modules, improving the competency of managers and supervisors, and cross-sector collaboration to ensure cooperatives are managed professionally and sustainably.
To date, thousands of land points have been mapped and most have entered the development stage, while tens of thousands of cooperatives have been legally incorporated with millions of actively involved members.
Overall, the government’s strategic steps to encourage the creation of new job opportunities demonstrate a comprehensive and measured approach. Through a combination of policies addressing nutritional needs, strengthening the village economy, and developing human resources, the government strives to create an inclusive and resilient economic ecosystem.
The focus on job creation is not only aimed at reducing unemployment, but also at building a stronger, fairer, and more sustainable economic foundation for Indonesia’s future.
