Bogor, June 3, 2026 – President Prabowo Subianto emphasized that the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) Program is a strategic investment to improve the quality of Indonesia’s future generations. The program also stimulates regional economies through the involvement of various local business actors.
Minister of Creative Economy/Head of the Creative Economy Agency, Teuku Riefky Harsya, attended the event “Building Indonesia’s Future Generations Through Nutrition” at the Sentul International Convention Center (SICC), West Java, Wednesday (3/6/2026).
“If the kitchens operate properly and this program is implemented effectively, village economies will thrive. Farmers will gain market certainty, their products will be absorbed, and communities will enjoy a better quality of life,” said the President during the 500 Million Meals Challenge: Building Indonesia’s Future Generations Through Nutrition event at the Sentul International Convention Center (SICC), Bogor Regency, West Java, on Wednesday (3/6).
The President highlighted the ongoing challenges of meeting children’s nutritional needs in various regions, which could affect their growth, health, and ability to develop their full potential. He also noted that many developed countries have adopted school meal programs as an instrument to improve the health and intelligence of future generations.
In addition to the nutritional aspect, the President underscored the economic impact generated by the program. Thousands of MBG kitchens operating across the country require a continuous supply of food ingredients, creating opportunities for farmers, livestock breeders, fishermen, and local businesses to participate in the supply chain.
Doc. Press, Media, and Information Bureau of the Presidential Secretariat.
According to the President, once the program reaches full coverage with tens of millions of beneficiaries, its economic impact will become even more significant and has the potential to create millions of new jobs. The President also expressed appreciation to all implementers of the MBG Program and reminded them of the importance of maintaining the quality of meals provided to beneficiaries.
In his remarks, the President also specifically mentioned Tony Robbins, an American author, entrepreneur, public speaker, and philanthropist known as one of the world’s leading self-development figures, who attended the event. President Prabowo invited Tony Robbins to share his views on the MBG Program before an audience of 12,173 participants, consisting of 20 regional coordinators of the Nutrition Fulfillment Service Units (SPPG) from across Indonesia, regional coordinators, heads of SPPG units, and 5,873 MBG Program implementation partners.
“I invited a motivational speaker and successful entrepreneur from the United States who has become a close friend of mine. He faced challenges from an early age, and his father worked as a parking attendant in America. Today, he has become one of the wealthiest people in the world—not merely in material terms, but also as one of the pioneers in providing meals to people suffering from hunger around the globe,” said the President.
Meanwhile, Minister of Creative Economy/Head of the Creative Economy Agency Teuku Riefky Harsya stated that the MBG Program demonstrates how nutritional fulfillment and community economic empowerment can go hand in hand. The establishment of thousands of kitchens throughout the country creates sustained demand for local products and services, opening up new economic opportunities for communities.
“The MBG Program is not only an investment in the quality of future generations, but also creates economic activities involving communities across various regions. The presence of MBG kitchens opens up collaboration opportunities for farmers, MSMEs, service providers, and local businesses to become part of a productive and sustainable supply chain,” said the Minister of Creative Economy.
Doc. Press, Media, and Information Bureau of the Presidential Secretariat.
The 500 Million Meals Challenge: Building Indonesia’s Future Generations Through Nutrition served as a national consolidation moment to strengthen service quality, expand collaboration, and ensure that the benefits of the MBG Program can be optimally delivered to the public. Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Nanik S. Deyang, stated that President Prabowo had specifically instructed all implementers to continuously maintain the quality of meals served to beneficiaries.
“The President has directed us to truly provide high-quality Free Nutritious Meals for Indonesian children. This program is not merely a nutritional intervention, but also a driver of local economic activity,” said Nanik.
The event was also attended by ministers and deputy ministers of the Red and White Cabinet, leaders of ministries and agencies, officials from the National Nutrition Agency, and MBG Program implementers from various regions across Indonesia.
Kiagoos Irvan Faisal
Head of Bureau for Communication
Ministry of Creative Economy/Creative Economy Agency
