“In addition to improving children’s nutritional intake, the MBG program is also expected to continuously support economic growth,” BGN representative Alwin Supriyadi said during an event held to promote the program in Surabaya, East Java, on Monday.
Highlighting the program’s economic impact, he informed that the government expects the free meals initiative to boost the welfare of farmers, ranchers, and fishermen by engaging them as suppliers of food ingredients.
He added that these groups can channel their products to MBG kitchens, officially known as nutrition fulfillment service units (SPPGs), through cooperatives or village-run enterprises (BUMDes).
Supriyadi said that East Java requires 3,535 SPPGs, and currently, 133 such kitchens are operating across 31 districts and cities in the province.
Meanwhile, Surabaya city needs 120 SPPGs, he noted. So far, eight SPPGs have been made operational and one is under development in the city, he added.
He said that BGN head Dadan Hindayana has the authority to appoint individuals to lead the SPPGs, who will be supported by nutritional experts and accountants tasked with checking the meals’ nutritional content and ensuring their smooth distribution.
“Each SPPG can absorb between 45 and 50 workers tasked with cooking, managing raw materials, maintaining hygiene, and controlling waste,” he explained.
House of Representatives (DPR) legislator Indah Kurniawati, who was also present at the event, emphasized that the MBG program is a strategic step by the government to realize the Golden Indonesia 2045 vision.
“The MBG program is meant to produce a generation of smart, healthy, and competitive talents,” she added.
The BGN has reported that, as of July 7, 2025, the free meals program has reached around seven million residents nationwide, which has been made possible through the operation of 1,873 SPPGs.
The program’s beneficiaries include schoolchildren, toddlers, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers.
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Translator: Willi I, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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