Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Ministry of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) said it is accelerating the economic recovery of disaster-affected small businesses in Sumatra by strengthening their participation in the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program.The Deputy for Micro Enterprises at the ministry, Riza Damanik, said here on Friday that the growing number of kitchens under the MBG program will boost demand for MSME suppliers.To support this, the ministry held a workshop in West Sumatra focused on enhancing production capacity for disaster-affected micro enterprises and strengthening MSMEs to support the free meal program.Damanik said the initiative reflected the government’s commitment to restoring local economies while improving the competitiveness of MSMEs in affected areas.The workshop also encouraged MBG kitchens to adopt affirmative procurement policies by prioritizing locally produced MSME goods.“We expect to develop strong and competitive MSME entrepreneurs who can meet kitchen demands and build partnerships with Nutrition Fulfillment Service Units (SPPG), especially in West Sumatra,” he said.The event brought together 200 MSME players from the food sector and kitchen support services. Participants will undergo a curation process for further training and mentoring, followed by business matching with SPPG units in the region.Damanik stressed that MSMEs are expected to play a greater role in supporting national strategic programs while strengthening local economic resilience.He underscored the need for collaboration between the MSME Ministry, the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), and regional governments to improve production capacity, ensure food safety standards, and strengthen business governance.He added that cross-sector synergy is key to building an inclusive and sustainable MBG ecosystem, allowing MSMEs to become strategic partners in providing safe, nutritious, and high-quality food products.