Prabowo Receives National Economic Council Study: Free Nutritious Meals Programme Positively Impacts MSMEs

Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Prabowo Subianto received the results of a National Economic Council (DEN) survey specifically examining the impact of the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme on micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) during a meeting at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Tuesday afternoon. The DEN delegation meeting President Prabowo was led by DEN Chairman Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, accompanied by member and Executive Secretary Septian Hario Seto, member Mochammad Firman Hidayat, and senior economist and former finance minister Chatib Basri. Luhut stated after the meeting that the President had summoned them. He explained that the first matter discussed was the survey conducted by the National Economic Council regarding the implementation of the nutritious meals programme, which has been carried out at 800 sites, conducted with thorough professionalism. Luhut then asked his colleague, Septian Hario Seto, to elaborate on the highlights of the DEN survey findings on MBG. The DEN survey targeted 800 Nutritional Fulfilment Service Units (SPPG), selected randomly using computer software. Seto explained to the press that 800 points were chosen through random sampling, with the computer selecting the samples from areas as diverse as South Nias, Halmahera, and Papua, ensuring the findings represent the entire population of existing SPPGs. Seto noted that the survey focused on MSMEs located near the SPPG sites. On average, three MSMEs are partnered with each SPPG. He stated this proves that the SPPG MBG programme, besides achieving the President’s goal of improving nutrition for Indonesian children, is also creating a new supply chain ecosystem. Seto continued that the second positive impact is that 64 to 65 percent of the MSMEs entering the MBG supply chain ecosystem are located in the same area as the SPPG itself. He clarified this means the raw material suppliers are not large corporations, but rather local MSMEs based in the same district as the SPPG. The third positive impact, Seto conveyed, is that the DEN survey results show 99 percent of the workforce absorbed by the SPPGs are local residents from the surrounding area. Nonetheless, the DEN offered several recommendations after reviewing the survey results, notably the need for capital assistance for MSMEs that have the potential to enter the SPPG supply chain ecosystem. Seto concluded that with better working capital, these businesses could ultimately serve the SPPGs more extensively and with a greater variety of commodities.