Not Just Food, Prabowo: MBG Presents 1.5 Million Jobs
JAKARTA President of the Republic of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto emphasized that the Free Nutrition Food (MBG) program does not only play a role in improving the nutritional quality of Indonesian children, but is also a driving force for the people's economy and creators of large-scale jobs.
Prabowo made this statement during a dialogue session with the Chairman and Editor-in-Chief Forbes Media Steve Forbes, at the Forbes Global CEO Conference 2025 which was held at St. Regis, Jakarta, Wednesday, October 15.
Prabowo expressed his optimism for the economic growth target of 8 percent which he considered very possible to achieve.
"I think 8 percent growth is very achievable. For example, with this MBG program alone, we created 1.5 million jobs directly. There are 30,000 kitchens and each kitchen employs about 50 people. That means 1.5 million direct jobs," said Prabowo.
Furthermore, Prabowo said that the economic impact of this program far exceeds the direct labor figure. Each MBG kitchen triggers the formation of a new supply chain that empowers farmers, breeders, fishermen, and small business actors around the production site.
Each kitchen creates about 15 new local entrepreneurs. Some sell eggs, vegetables, fish, meat, one more salt. And each of them has 5, 10, or 15 workers, "he added.
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According to Prabowo, the multiplier effect of the MBG program forms a dynamic people's economic ecosystem, where people's purchasing power increases naturally.
"If people have money, what do they do? They buy shoes, clothes, repair houses, maybe buy motorbikes or televisions. So I think this is how it is," he said.