The Free Nutritious Meals Program (MBG) has not only provided nutritional benefits for students, pregnant women, and toddlers but has also made a significant economic impact. The program has directly created jobs for 94,000 individuals working in 2,391 Nutritional Fulfillment Service Units (SPPGs) nationwide over seven months. The increase in SPPG units across different regions has led to a rise in employment figures, from 7,000 workers in January to 94,000 by the end of July. Budget absorption has also increased, with IDR 5.1 trillion disbursed by the end of the first semester of 2025.
Senior Advisor Fithra Faisal from the Presidential Communication Office (PCO) stated that the MBG program has positively influenced the real economy and job creation. The program is creating new economic opportunities for local communities and is expected to accelerate job creation in the second half of the year as the budget disbursement speeds up. The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) projects that the program will reach 20 million beneficiaries through 8,000 operational SPPG units by August, with an expected total budget absorption of IDR 8 trillion.
To promote workforce inclusion, BGN plans to recruit SPPG kitchen staff from families in extreme poverty and lower-income groups, aiming for at least 30% of staff to come from economically vulnerable households. This initiative is seen as a strategic measure to reduce extreme poverty while strengthening the program’s operational capacity and empowering low-income communities.
Overall, the MBG program has not only improved nutrition but has also had a positive economic impact through job creation and budget absorption. The program’s success in generating employment opportunities and benefiting local communities highlights its importance in addressing nutritional and economic challenges.
