Free Nutritious Meals Programme Strengthens Food Security at Village Level
Jakarta — The chairman of Seknas Indonesia Maju (IM), Monisyah, has assessed that the Free Nutritious Meals (Makan Bergizi Gratis, MBG) programme extends beyond meeting children’s nutritional needs to strengthening national food security down to village level.
Through the MBG implementation over 11 months, he stated that the government is establishing a resilience-based food supply chain involving various domestic food production elements.
“The MBG programme will establish a resilience-based food supply chain with high quality and affordable prices. This is not merely a feeding assistance programme, but part of Indonesia’s civilisation mission,” Monisyah explained in a statement in Jakarta on Monday.
He noted that the scheme has the potential to stimulate grassroots economic circulation as programme food requirements are supplied massively and sustainably.
The programme, initiated by the administration of President Prabowo Subianto and Vice-President Gibran Rakabuming Raka, represents a strategic instrument for building food self-sufficiency whilst guaranteeing adequate nutrition for Indonesian children.
He added that the programme is not merely fulfilling political promises, but a commitment to building the nation’s future generation through strengthened food and nutrition foundations.
Regarding various field developments, including reports of bacterial contamination cases, Monisyah considered this part of the evaluation process in implementing a nationwide programme.
“It is quite normal that there are shortcomings at implementation level. These become evaluation material for future improvement. The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) will continue refining the programme,” he stated.
Previously, President Prabowo Subianto announced that the MBG programme now benefits over 60 million people, equivalent to feeding South Africa’s entire population daily.
He made this statement during the inauguration and groundbreaking ceremony of 1,179 Nutrition Service Units (SPPG) and the opening of 18 Police Food Resilience Warehouses in Palmerah, Jakarta, on Friday, 13 February.
The government has successfully established 23,000 Nutrition Service Units across 38 provinces.
“This number is roughly equivalent to feeding South Africa’s entire population daily, or 10 times Singapore daily, or twice Malaysia daily,” President Prabowo stated.
He explained that the MBG programme is part of the government’s effort to enhance human resource quality and ensure adequate nutrition for the public, particularly children and vulnerable groups.
President Prabowo also addressed various criticisms that emerged since the programme’s launch, but emphasised that increasing MBG realisation demonstrates the government’s seriousness in implementing this strategic national programme.