Jakarta. The government is continuing to strengthen its strategy for inclusive and sustainable economic development to ensure national growth is felt evenly across all segments of society. A range of priority policies aimed at boosting purchasing power, reducing poverty, and expanding employment opportunities has become central to reinforcing the country’s economic foundation from rural villages to urban centers.

“Free nutritious meals (MBG) have driven an increase in household consumption and spurred growth in villages, subdistricts, and the lowest layers of our economy,” President Prabowo Subianto said in his remarks at the Indonesia Economic Outlook 2026 event at Wisma Danantara Indonesia in Jakarta on Friday.

Prabowo stressed that stronger household consumption generated by the program has become one of the engines of national economic growth, particularly at the grassroots level. The MBG program not only strengthens purchasing power but also creates multiplier effects on local economic activity, including agriculture, food distribution, and micro and small enterprises across regions.

The president also highlighted other positive achievements, including declining poverty and a downward trend in open unemployment. These developments reflect the effectiveness of government policies in strengthening the national economic structure while improving public welfare more broadly.

“And from this lowest layer, Indonesia will rise into a dynamic economy. I believe our economy will perform very well this year,” Prabowo said.

Beyond its short-term impact on consumption, the MBG program is also viewed as a long-term strategic investment in Indonesia’s human capital development. The initiative forms part of broader structural transformation efforts to reinforce the national economic foundation through improved health, productivity, and competitiveness of future generations.

“I think, in the world today, this is an achievement we can be proud of in terms of management, logistics, and control. It is something that should be recorded as a proud accomplishment for us,” Prabowo concluded.

The successful implementation of this priority program underscores a national development policy increasingly oriented toward equity and community-based economic strengthening. By positioning villages, local communities, and grassroots groups as new centers of growth, the government remains optimistic that Indonesia’s economy will become more resilient, inclusive, and competitive toward the vision of Indonesia Emas 2045.

The event, led directly by President Prabowo Subianto, was attended by ministers of the Red and White Cabinet, heads of state institutions, business association leaders, representatives from banking and national and international financial institutions, rating agencies, economists, academics, and members of the public. All policy measures will be implemented through coordinated cross-ministerial governance with strong oversight and clear policy direction.