Left to right: The Analyst, Youth in Agroecology and Restoration Network, James Sule; Executive Director, Whole Planet Initiative, Adebukola Adekola; YARN Project Manager, Seyi Olawuyi; and Coordinator, Small Scale Women Farmer Organization in Nigeria, Atinuke Akinbade during the programme in Ibadan. Photo: Ademola Adegbite.
A coalition of civil society organisations on Tuesday urged the Federal Government to suspend the proposed $2.5bn industrial livestock investment by Brazilian meat company JBS until the project agreement and other relevant documents are made public.
The coalition made the appeal while speaking with journalists during a sensitisation rally in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
The Project Manager of the Youth in Agroecology and Restoration Network, Seyi Olawuyi, and the Executive Director of Whole Planet Initiative, Adebukola Adekola, who spoke on behalf of the groups, explained that Nigerians deserved to know the terms of the investment before further steps were taken towards implementation.
Olawuyi said, “Nigerians have a right to know the commitments being made on their behalf, particularly when an investment of this scale could affect our land, food systems, environment and rural livelihoods.
“Civil society organisations, environmental advocates, farmer groups, youth organisations and concerned citizens expressed serious concern over the proposed US$2.5 billion investment by Brazilian meat corporation JBS to establish six industrial livestock facilities across Nigeria.
“The Federal Government has reportedly signed a Memorandum of Understanding with JBS and pledged favourable economic, sanitary and regulatory conditions to facilitate the project, while several states have indicated their willingness to host different components of the investment.
“While recognising the importance of attracting responsible investment into Nigeria’s agricultural sector, investments capable of fundamentally reshaping the country’s food systems must be guided by transparency, accountability, scientific evidence and meaningful public participation.”
The coalition warned that the expansion of large-scale industrial animal farming posed significant risks to Nigeria’s food sovereignty, environmental sustainability, public health and the livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers who produce the majority of the nation’s food.
According to the group, international investigations have repeatedly linked JBS and other industrial meat corporations to deforestation, substantial greenhouse gas emissions, labour and human rights concerns, and other environmental and governance controversies in countries where they operate.
It further warned that the proposed investment could require vast expanses of agricultural land, creating significant implications for local communities, biodiversity and smallholder agriculture.
The group expressed concern over the project’s potential land requirements, saying, “Niger State had pledged approximately 1.2 million hectares for livestock investment. We are using this occasion to call for the publication of the agreement, land allocation arrangements and investment incentives for public scrutiny.”
The YARN project manager further expressed concerns over the project’s potential implications for food security, the environment, public health and the livelihoods of smallholder farmers.
Corroborating his views, the Executive Director of Whole Planet Initiative, Adebukola Adekola, said, “The government should not proceed with the project without consulting farmers, host communities and other relevant stakeholders.
“Transparency and meaningful public participation must not be optional. Communities, farmers, civil society organisations and other stakeholders must have access to relevant information and the opportunity to influence decisions before implementation begins.
“The coalition had submitted requests under the Freedom of Information Act to relevant Federal institutions and participating state governments for access to project documents but had yet to receive substantive responses.”
The coalition also questioned whether the proposed investment would adequately address Nigeria’s domestic food needs, expressing concern that a significant proportion of its output might be intended for export markets.
It said, “We are appealing to the Federal Government and participating State Governments to publish the memorandum of understanding, conduct comprehensive environmental and social impact assessments, respond to outstanding information requests and consult affected communities before proceeding with the project.
“We are not opposed to agricultural investment but we wanted the projects to be transparent, environmentally responsible and aligned with Nigeria’s food security priorities,” the coalition added.
The proposed investment involves the establishment of six industrial livestock facilities across Nigeria.