Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) stated that the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program is creating new economic opportunities for small businesses while fostering nutritional independence for children.

“Of the total MBG budget, 85 percent is allocated for sourcing kitchen ingredients—ranging from vegetables to livestock, fishery, and plantation products," Riza Damanik, Deputy for Micro Enterprises at the MSME Ministry, noted in a statement on Wednesday.

This presents a major opportunity for the country’s 29 million food-sector MSMEs, especially those in rural areas, to grow and thrive, Damanik added.

To date, 6,435 MSMEs have been integrated into the MBG supply chain. Participants include farmers, fishers, livestock breeders, traditional market vendors, local catering providers, and also food waste processors who turn leftover materials into agricultural compost, fish feed, and other value-added products.

While the potential is considerable, he acknowledged that MSMEs still face various challenges, including meeting quality standards, ensuring supply consistency, insufficient technical information, and limited access to financing.

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To address these issues, the ministry has introduced a structured online support program featuring awareness campaigns, training, product curation, business matchmaking, and financial facilitation—reaching one thousand MSME entrepreneurs so far.

“We want to ensure that each MBG kitchen sources at least 60 percent of its ingredients from MSME products. We will continue to raise this standard so the program delivers widespread economic benefits, especially for microbusinesses,” Damanik affirmed.

As an added incentive, the MSME Ministry, in partnership with the National Nutrition Agency, has launched the "MSME-Friendly SPPG" initiative, which recognizes MBG kitchens that consistently prioritize MSME-sourced products.

“This step aligns with the president’s directive to ensure the MBG program becomes a key driver of economic growth in rural areas,” he stated.

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