BGN Head Dadan Hindayana said in Jakarta on Tuesday that his agency continues to encourage the strengthening of the local economy through MSME empowerment in every nutritional fulfillment service unit (SPPG) or MBG kitchens, whose number has reached 19,188, spread across 38 provinces.
"More than 46 thousand MSMEs have operated as suppliers of raw materials to the SPPGs," he said.
According to him, the partnership has created a sustainable supply chain, empowered small enterprises, and ensured that the program's beneficiaries receive good-quality food.
He further said that the MBG kitchens have created over 780,000 jobs for their operations, from the preparation of raw materials to the food distribution.
The presence of SPPGs has created economic opportunities for local communities, strengthened family economic resilience, and built skills within the food sector.
"This program strongly supports the growth and development of children under five and schoolchildren, safeguards the health of pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, and prevents stunting, serving as a foundation for realizing the golden generation in 2045," Hindayana remarked.
The free meals program was launched on January 6, 2025, as one of the flagship programs of President Prabowo Subianto, aimed at improving the nutritional status of children under five, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and schoolchildren up to the high school level.
With a target of reaching 82.9 million beneficiaries across Indonesia, the program is one of the largest programs implemented in the country.
After one year of implementation, the number of beneficiaries has reached 55.1 million.
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Translator: Lintang Budiyanti, Raka Adji
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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