President: Free Nutritious Meal Programme is a Major Investment in the Nation's Future, Supporting Rural Economy
President Prabowo Subianto has stated that the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme is a significant investment aimed at enhancing the quality of human resources by ensuring children’s nutritional needs are met and supporting economic growth in villages.
According to a statement from the Presidential Secretariat released in Jakarta on Wednesday, the President made these remarks during his speech at the ‘Building Indonesia’s Future Generations Through Nutrition’ event held at the Sentul International Convention Centre (SICC) in Bogor, West Java.
“The concept of this free nutritious meal programme is very simple: we have found that some of our children go to school every morning without having breakfast. In fact, they rarely consume nutritious food at home,” said Prabowo.
The Head of State explained that malnutrition in children can impact their growth and their ability to reach their full potential. Such conditions are still prevalent in several regions, where malnutrition rates are notably high. The President highlighted that some areas face malnutrition rates of over 20 per cent, approaching 30 per cent, which is a primary factor contributing to stunting.
Prabowo noted that the impact of malnutrition extends beyond health, as it can limit children’s opportunities to excel in education and future employment. He shared that he witnessed these conditions firsthand while interacting with communities in various regions.
“This means, firstly, they will not develop according to their potential as normal human beings, meaning their abilities will be below normal. We find that they may even struggle to graduate from primary school. They might not even be able to succeed in the occupations of their parents, such as farmers, daily labourers, or fishermen,” Prabently added.
Consequently, the President emphasised that the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) and the MBG programme play a strategic role in supporting vulnerable communities and strengthening the quality of the nation’s future generations, noting that several developed nations have implemented similar programmes to improve welfare and human resource quality.
Beyond health and education benefits, the President added that the MBG programme will have a broad economic impact reaching down to the village level. Through the operation of MBG kitchens, the produce of local farmers and entrepreneurs can be absorbed, thereby increasing community welfare.
“If the kitchens are successful and these programmes run correctly, the village economy will thrive. Farmers’ incomes will increase, they will no longer be disrupted by middlemen, they will have a guarantee that their hard work and produce will be absorbed and purchased, allowing them to lead better lives,” the President said.
Prabowo believes that the optimal implementation of the MBG programme will reach tens of millions of beneficiaries and create millions of new jobs. He expressed confidence that at its peak, the programme could serve between 83 million to 85 million people through 30,000 kitchens, potentially generating 1.5 million formal jobs and another 1.5 million real jobs within the rural economy, totaling 3 million jobs. “The circulation of money in the villages will be very large. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, I am sure and I believe this programme will succeed,” concluded Prabowo Subianto.