From Fiscal Burden to Energy Opportunity: Redesigning MBG

Indonesia’s Free Nutritious Meals Program (Makan Bergizi Gratis — MBG) is one of the flagship policies of President Prabowo, who was elected in 2024, and has quickly become one of the most controversial programs in the country. The government plans to spend around IDR335 trillion (around USD19–20 billion) in 2026, a sharp increase from IDR71 trillion in 2025. Imagine this: the same amount could fund around 3.3 million university degrees. Many critics argue that such spending will increase fiscal pressure if it is not backed by higher government revenue.

Yet, regardless of the debate, one thing is clear: MBG is here to stay, at least until 2029. The question is not whether it should exist, but whether it can deliver more than it promises.

MBG itself is a complex system that moves food, consumes energy, and produces waste, at a scale that few policies can match. Millions of meals require fuel to cook, transport to deliver, and infrastructure to manage what is left behind. Left unmanaged, this system will rely on LPG for cooking, diesel for logistics, and landfills for waste, embedding a carbon-intensive pathway over time.

The government has started to respond. Recent regulation requires MBG service units (SPPG) to manage waste using circular economy principles. Waste must be sorted, monitored, and processed into compost or other reusable forms. However, this approach can be strengthened into using waste as an energy source.

Indonesia already has experience in waste-to-energy, but utilization remains limited. Even before MBG, the country generated more than 40 million tons of food waste per year (see Figure A), while installed waste-to-energy capacity remains around 17.6 MW, far below its potential of over 2,000 MW. With MBG, additional food waste could easily exceed 600,000 tons per year.

Source: Ministry of National Development Planning Republic of Indonesia/Bappenas, 2021

This creates a clear opportunity. Organic waste from MBG can be converted into biogas and used for cooking, reducing LPG use, lowering emissions, and cutting landfill waste. Small-scale examples already exist. In Sukabumi, organic waste from MBG kitchens is converted into biogas at the community level, showing that the solution is feasible but not yet scaled.

Source: Rumah Energi, 2026

Other countries show how system design matters. In Japan, school meal programs are supported by systems that manage waste carefully, with some organic waste converted into energy. In South Korea, food waste is closely monitored and recycled, with some cities converting school food waste into biogas or animal feed. These examples show that waste can be treated as a resource from the start.

To move forward, MBG can require SPPG to process organic waste into energy, not only compost. Pilot projects can be introduced in selected areas, supported by clear standards and technical guidance. Successful models can then be scaled up and integrated into the national system, turning MBG from a fiscal burden into a source of clean energy.

Disclaimer: All views expressed in this article are personal opinions of the author and are written in a personal capacity.