Menkop Budi Arie Reveals 1,923 Cooperatives Ready To Contribute MBG Program

Minister of Cooperatives (Menkop) Budi Arie Setiadi. (Photo: ANTARA)

Minister of Cooperatives (Menkop) Budi Arie Setiadi said there were 1,923 cooperatives involved as suppliers of raw materials for the soon-to-be-launched Free Nutrition Food (MBG) program.

"There are 1,923 cooperatives that are ready to accommodate, ready to contribute to the implementation of MBG. That includes how many egg cooperatives, vegetable cooperatives, rice, fish cooperatives, and so on," said Budi Arie as quoted by ANTARA, Friday, January 3.

He explained that the cooperative helps provide raw materials that are the menu in the MBG (MBG) program.

For example, said Budi Arie, cooperative egg breeders will help provide eggs in the MBG program meal menu.

In addition to cooperatives, the government also involves village-owned enterprises (BUMDes) as well as helping prepare MBG programs in 29 provinces.

According to Budi, President Prabowo Subianto has given directions so that cooperation in fulfilling the raw materials for the MBG program must be established with cooperatives and BUMDes.

In addition to making the economy in the village move, the President wants the raw materials used in the MBG program to come from local farmers, not from other countries or imported products.

"The President's directive must be from Indonesia, so that it can move the community's economy. The raw materials are not imports," said Budi Arie.

As for Friday, President Prabowo Subianto for the first time since being inaugurated held a limited meeting with ministers at the Bogor Presidential Palace, West Java.

The President accompanied by Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka chaired a coordination meeting on community empowerment, including the MBG program. A number of ministers who attended the meeting were Coordinating Minister for Community Empowerment Muhaimin Iskandar, and Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Maman Abdurrahman.

Then, Minister of Social Affairs Saifullah Yusuf, Minister of Migrant Workers Protection Abdul Karding, Minister of Creative Economy/Head of Creative Economy Agency Teuky Riefky Harsya, and Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya.