Ilona Estherina, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto claimed the flagship free nutritious meal (MBG) program has created hundreds of thousands of new jobs since it kicked off in January this year.
The head of state has received a report from the National Nutrition Agency that there are currently 5,800 public kitchens, or the Nutritious Meal Fulfillment Service Units (SPPGs), spread across 38 provinces. "MBG has created 290 thousand new jobs in the kitchens," said Prabowo in his speech at the annual session of the MPR, DPR, and DPD in Senayan, Jakarta, on Friday, August 15, 2025.
Despite only having been running for 8 months, Prabowo said people are beginning to reap the benefits from the free nutritious meal program. School attendance and children's performance in class are seeing improvements, for example.
The president also said the free meal program also has involved 1 million farmers, fishers, stock farmers, and SMEs, spurring economic growth at village levels.
Previously, the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) predicted that the free nutritious meal program could absorb 6 million new workers. Deputy of the System and Governance Sector of BGN, Tigor Pangaribuan, said that with a target of 82.9 million recipients, 30 thousand kitchens are needed.
Each SPPG requires 50 people to work. "If we open 30 thousand kitchens, it will provide jobs for 1.5 million new workers in Indonesia," he said on Thursday, August 7, 2025.
According to Togar, the figure only encompasses workers in the kitchens directly involved in the meal distribution process. "Not to mention the suppliers, cooperatives that continue to supply food ingredients, and farmers who have to open up their farmland again," he said.
BGN, he said, has already made calculations. "The calculation is multiplied by 4, so 1.5 million multiplied by four. We predict that 6 million new job opportunities will be created with this program," said Togar.