Prabowo to Continue MBG Until Completion: Many Fear It Will Succeed

President Prabowo Subianto has reaffirmed his determination to continue the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme until completion. He expressed this resolve while attending the groundbreaking ceremony for 13 national downstreaming projects in phase II in Cilacap, Central Java, on Wednesday (29/4/2026). “Brothers and sisters, we have already produced MBG for tens of millions and we will continue until it’s finished. There are many shortcomings, we will address them. Many are afraid that this will succeed,” he said. According to Prabowo, MBG has already brought benefits felt by farmers. For example, mango farmers whose produce went unsold. “As soon as they harvest the mangoes, the mangoes are not taken, they rot in the orchard. The harvest is not absorbed, middlemen come, they slash prices, it’s impossible for our people to prosper,” Prabowo stated. “Now we are changing that. Almost all farmers and fishermen have market guarantees, offtake. Whatever they produce, no matter how much, will be absorbed by the Indonesian nation,” he continued. Furthermore, Prabowo said that on a broad scale, MBG is also reviving the economy. According to the head of state, a school kitchen in one village employs 50 people. “If later 30,000 kitchens are operational, that means 1.5 million people will be working,” Prabowo said.