Free Nutritious Meals: An Investment in Indonesian Civilization on the Global Stage—Starting from School Canteens -By Akhmad Aziz Setia Hadi

The Free Nutritious Meals Program (Makan Bergizi Gratis, MBG), implemented nationwide beginning in 2025 by President Prabowo’s administration, places Indonesia within a global current of social policy that treats nutritious food as an instrument of human development rather than merely as food assistance for the poor. The program is framed as a long-term investment in the quality of human resources and national competitiveness, while also responding to persistent challenges such as stunting, poverty, and unequal access to food across regions.

Domestically, MBG is designed to target schoolchildren, pregnant women, toddlers, and other vulnerable groups through cross-sector collaboration spanning education, health, social protection, and agriculture. The government emphasizes that free nutritious meals are not simply about “being full,” but about measurable nutritional quality, sustainable availability, and local economic effects through the involvement of farmers and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the food sector. In this way, Indonesia follows a pattern that has proven effective in many countries: integrating nutritious meal provision into education policy and rural development strategies.

Viewed internationally, MBG aligns with the global trend of school feeding and nutrition programs recognized by international institutions as relatively low-cost instruments with substantial developmental impact. In Brazil, for instance, the Programa Nacional de Alimentação Escolar (PNAE) requires that a portion of food ingredients be sourced from local smallholder farmers, thereby stimulating rural economies. In India, the Mid-Day Meal Scheme has been shown to improve attendance among students from low-income families and expand access to basic education, although it initially attracted significant criticism due to concerns regarding hygiene and management.

In developed countries, the objectives are similar even if the context differs. Finland and Sweden provide free, nutritious school lunches as part of the welfare system, focusing on equal opportunities for learning and long-term health. Japan uses school meal programs to promote healthy eating habits, discipline, and nutrition education. Thus, across many national settings, free nutritious meals function as a public policy tool to shape healthy habits, reduce inequality, and strengthen social cohesion.[1]

Within this framework, MBG in Indonesia has considerable strategic potential. First, in terms of education: adequately nourished children generally find it easier to concentrate, achieve better academically, and face a lower risk of dropping out of school. Second, in terms of poverty reduction: for low-income households, having part of children’s food costs covered by the state can ease daily expenditures, reduce economic pressure, and, over time, help break intergenerational cycles of poverty. Third, in terms of the local economy: if MBG’s supply chain is designed to involve farmers, livestock producers, and local MSMEs, the program can become a stable market for domestically produced food.

However, a program as large as MBG also carries risks that must be anticipated, as evidenced by many countries’ experiences. The first challenge is governance and transparency. A large budget dispersed down to local levels creates opportunities for inefficiency and misuse; without robust oversight systems, clear quality standards, and firm accountability mechanisms, a program that is sound in principle can become a source of new problems, such as corruption and manipulation in procurement processes.

The second challenge arises when policy becomes overly politicized and short-term in orientation. In some countries, free meal programs have served merely as campaign tools without strong regulatory and institutional foundations; as a result, when administrations change, the programs can be readily reduced or discontinued. For MBG to endure in Indonesia, it must be evidence-based and data-driven, supported by clear performance indicators such as reductions in stunting, improved learning outcomes, and better child health.

The third challenge concerns nutritional quality and cultural acceptability. India’s experience shows that incidents involving spoiled food, poor hygiene, or menus that do not match local preferences can undermine public trust. In Indonesia’s highly diverse context, MBG menus cannot be overly standardized from the center; regions should have space to adapt menus to local ingredients and tastes, provided nutritional standards are met. At the same time, MBG offers an opportunity for education: teaching balanced diets grounded in local foods rather than instant and ultra-processed products.

In the international arena, programs like MBG also carry diplomatic value. Indonesia can position itself as a major developing country that is serious about advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly ending hunger, improving health, and providing quality education. If implemented effectively, MBG could serve as a model for other countries in Asia and Africa facing similar challenges, including malnutrition, educational inequality, and rapid urban growth. In this sense, Indonesia would not only receive global advice but also contribute good practices at the international level.

Therefore, strengthening MBG must go beyond merely distributing meals. First, data collection and evaluation should be central: every budgetary expenditure must be linked to measurable outcomes. Second, public participation must be reinforced, both in oversight and in direct involvement in implementation. Third, fiscal sustainability must be addressed: the program should be calibrated to the state’s financial capacity so that it does not undermine other critical sectors.

Ultimately, debates over MBG should not stop at politically framed positions of support or opposition. The more important question is whether Indonesia is prepared to make free nutritious meals a permanent element of the relationship between state and citizen. If so, the central focus must be how to implement the program—ensuring that meals are genuinely nutritious, distributed fairly, managed transparently, and capable of producing a healthier, more intelligent generation that can compete globally.

Akhmad Aziz Setia Hadi, Universitas 17 Agustus 1945 Surabaya