Free Nutritious Meals Programme in Papua Expands Employment and Drives Transparent Economic Growth

The Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme in Nabire Regency, Central Papua, continues to demonstrate tangible impact, not only in improving community nutrition but also as a driver of the people’s economy managed transparently and accountably. Through the operation of 14 Nutritional Fulfilment Service Units (SPPG), the programme has absorbed 658 workers, including 180 Indigenous Papuans (OAP), whilst creating significant local economic turnover. Marsel Asyerem, Regional Coordinator for the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) in Nabire, stated that the presence of MBG provides direct benefits to the community. ‘A total of 658 workers have been absorbed across 14 SPPGs operating in Nabire, including 180 Indigenous Papuan workers,’ he said. Workers earn between IDR 120,000 and IDR 200,000 per day under a five-day working week. From these wage payments, the MBG programme is estimated to generate a monthly monetary circulation in Nabire Regency of IDR 1.58 billion to IDR 2.63 billion. Marsel emphasised that MBG is not merely a nutritional fulfilment programme for students, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and toddlers. The programme also opens employment opportunities whilst helping the local government reduce unemployment. He cited positive changes at the SPPG Wadio Gerbang Sadu, noting that after being employed at the SPPG, individuals gained stable jobs and ceased engaging in street extortion. All involved workers are now covered by the social security programme. To enhance accountability, the programme utilises the SIAP-MBG digital platform, which allows the public to monitor planning, budget usage, and service distribution transparently. Azrul Kainage, the platform’s developer, explained that SIAP-MBG features a digital map-based dashboard presenting information on planning, financial conditions, and the locations of nutritious food distribution. ‘This programme is not just about nutrition, but about how state funds can circulate within the community so that the economic benefits are felt directly by residents,’ Marsel asserted.