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JBS Livestock Project: Coalition Raises Land, Food Security Concerns, Seeks FG Review

A coalition of civil society organisations, farmers’ groups, environmental advocates and youth organisations has raised concerns over the proposed $2.5bn JBS industrial livestock project, urging the Federal Government to subject the investment to wider public scrutiny before proceeding.

The coalition made the demand on Thursday during a sensitisation rally held at the Nigeria Union of Journalists Hall in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

Rather than opposing agricultural investment outright, the group said its major concern was the transparency, scale and potential impact of the proposed project on Nigeria’s land, environment, food system and smallholder farmers.

JBS, a Brazilian meat corporation, is proposing to establish six industrial livestock facilities across Nigeria under an arrangement that reportedly involves a Memorandum of Understanding with the Federal Government.

The coalition questioned the terms of the proposed investment, particularly the incentives and regulatory arrangements reportedly being offered to the multinational company.

It expressed concern that large-scale industrial livestock production could have far-reaching consequences for land use, biodiversity, water resources, public health and the livelihoods of communities dependent on small-scale farming.

The group also raised questions over reports that about 1.2 million hectares of land had been pledged by Niger State for livestock investment, saying such an allocation required greater public scrutiny.

According to the coalition, the scale of the reported land allocation raises important questions about the rights of communities, land governance and the future of smallholder agriculture.

It further questioned whether the proposed livestock production would primarily serve Nigeria’s domestic food and nutritional needs or whether a substantial portion could eventually be directed towards export markets.

The coalition said another major concern was the alleged absence of publicly available comprehensive Environmental and Social Impact Assessments on the project.

It disclosed that it had submitted Freedom of Information requests to relevant federal agencies and participating state governments to obtain the project’s MoU, implementation framework, environmental and social assessments, land agreements and investment incentives.

The group said it had not received substantive responses to the requests, arguing that withholding such information could weaken public confidence in the project.

The coalition therefore called for the publication of all relevant documents and independent environmental and social assessments before further approvals or implementation of the project.

It also demanded consultations involving farmers, pastoralists, women, young people, affected communities, environmental experts, public health professionals, civil society organisations and independent researchers.

The coalition stressed that public consultation should occur before major decisions are concluded, insisting that affected Nigerians must have access to relevant information and a meaningful opportunity to influence decisions concerning a project of such magnitude.

It maintained that its position should not be interpreted as opposition to foreign investment, but as a demand for an agricultural investment framework that protects communities, safeguards the environment and strengthens Nigeria’s food security and public accountability.