Jakarta (ANTARA) – Research by Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) shows the Government's Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) Program could raise the country’s GDP by Rp14.5–26 trillion. “MBG delivers positive and measurable macroeconomic impacts. Our simulations indicate an additional GDP increase of Rp14.5–Rp26 trillion,” said Iwan Hermawan, Head of the MBG Research Team at BRIN, during a seminar on Wednesday. He explained that the projected gains would be accompanied by aggregate consumption growth of up to 0.19 percent and investment growth of up to 0.24 percent, with inflationary pressures kept under control. “Because both components account for a large share of GDP. If they rise significantly, they will drive GDP growth. Moreover, with the 2029 growth target set at 8 percent, this program should align with that objective, while keeping inflation relatively under control,” Hermawan remarked. The study also found that MBG’s impact extends across upstream and downstream sectors, particularly food production and employment. “Increased production is mainly seen in rice, processed meat products, dairy, and horticulture, followed by employment absorption of up to 0.19 percent in the food and processing sectors,” he noted. “Overall, the program’s performance has approached their expectations, although there may be some notes regarding meal portions,” he said. Based on these findings, BRIN recommended strengthening MBG through a national output–outcome dashboard that integrates nutrition standards, food safety, distribution, and governance performance in real time and transparently.