The Free Nutritious Meals Program (MBG) has not only provided nutritional benefits for students, pregnant women, and toddlers but has also had a significant economic impact. In just seven months, the program has created job opportunities for 94,000 individuals through 2,391 Nutritional Fulfillment Service Units (SPPGs) across the country. The number of workers has steadily increased in line with the expansion of SPPG units, growing from 7,000 in January to 94,000 by the end of July.
Budget absorption has also risen accordingly, with an estimated IDR 5.1 trillion disbursed by the end of the first semester of 2025, equivalent to 7.1% of the total allocated budget. Fithra Faisal, Senior Advisor at the Presidential Communication Office, highlighted the program’s impact on job creation, stating that it is creating new economic opportunities for local communities.
The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) anticipates reaching 20 million beneficiaries through 8,000 SPPG units by August, with total budget absorption expected to reach IDR 8 trillion. To enhance workforce inclusion, BGN plans to recruit kitchen staff from families in extreme poverty and lower-income groups, with at least 30% of employees coming from economically vulnerable households.
This strategy not only strengthens the program’s operational capacity but also empowers low-income communities and contributes to reducing extreme poverty. Fithra emphasized the importance of this policy in supporting the program’s logistics and management while prioritizing the economic empowerment of marginalized groups.
