BRIN: MBG Program Can Boost Economic Growth and Public Welfare

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) has conducted an independent study examining the impact, effectiveness, and policy direction of the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program. The results showed that more than 80 percent of people in West Java and Bangka Belitung view the MBG program positively.

Head of the Research Organization for Governance, Economy, and Public Welfare at BRIN, Agus Eko Nugroho, stated that the MBG program is a large-scale initiative with strategic value for national development. In addition to improving children’s nutritional intake, the program is also considered to have the potential to stimulate economic growth and enhance public welfare.

“The MBG program is significant and has the potential to become a breakthrough, particularly in driving national economic development and improving the quality of public welfare,” he said during a seminar on the MBG research findings at the BJ Habibie Building in Jakarta on Wednesday, March 4, 2026.

In addition, he said that the implementation of the program is also capable of mobilizing local food supply chains. The involvement of business actors in providing food ingredients and distributing meals has opened new business opportunities and increased local economic activity in various regions.

Improved nutritional intake for children is also viewed as a long-term investment. According to him, better nutrition contributes to health, learning ability, and future productivity, thereby supporting the development of higher-quality human resources.

Through this research, BRIN emphasized the importance of data-based evaluation to ensure that the program is implemented effectively and delivers optimal benefits to the public. Agus expressed hope that the research findings would help the public better understand the program in a more comprehensive way.

“We hope the findings of this research can provide a more balanced narrative in society, while also serving as a basis for improving the program in the future,” he said.