Jakarta. President Prabowo Subianto has directed his cabinet to ensure that the raw materials for his flagship program, the free nutritious meal program (MBG), come from within Indonesia rather than imported goods. The initiative aims to involve cooperatives and village-owned enterprises (BUMDes) to stimulate rural economies.

“The President wants the ingredients for this program to come from Indonesia, particularly from villages, to empower local economies. There should be no imports,” said Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Minister Budi Arie Setiadi after attending a meeting with Prabowo at the Bogor Palace on Friday.

Budi said thousands of cooperatives will play a key role in ensuring the success of this herculean task. The Ministry has already compiled data on villages that produce various commodities to meet the MBG’s requirements.

“There are 1,923 cooperatives ready to support the free meal program, covering goods such as eggs, vegetables, rice, fish, and more,” Budi added.

Additionally, Budi highlighted the role of villages in producing commodities like corn, tilapia, and melons. He emphasized that 20 percent of the total village fund allocation, amounting to Rp 71 trillion (approximately $4.4 billion), has been designated for food security in 2025, including support for the free meal initiative.

The free meal program, introduced by President Prabowo Subianto during his presidential campaign, aims to provide nutritious lunches to Indonesian schoolchildren and combat stunting. The national stunting rate has dropped to 21.5 percent as of 2023. The program is expected to benefit 82 million people, including pregnant women, by 2029, the final year of the Prabowo administration.

The Indonesian government has allocated Rp 71 trillion (approximately $4.4 billion) to fund the program in 2025, with its official launch scheduled for Monday.