As part of the agreement, JBS will construct six factories and collaborate with law makers in order to promote local production. Three of the factories will be dedicated to poultry, with two for beef and one for pork.
JBS is currently in the process of producing feasibility studies, preliminary facility designs, budget estimates and a supply chain action plan.
In turn, the Nigerian Government will provide the economic, health and regulatory conditions “necessary for the viability and success of the project”.
Explaining the purpose of the agreement, JBS said that by establishing a solid partnership with the Nigerian Government it can support the country and the whole of Africa in addressing food insecurity.
According to statistics cited by JBS, there are currently 24.8m people suffering from hunger in Nigeria, giving it one of the highest rates of food insecurity in the world.
“Experience in the regions where we operate around the world shows that developing a sustainable food production chain generates a virtuous cycle of socioeconomic progress for the population, especially the most vulnerable groups,” added Gilberto Tomazoni, global CEO of JBS.
‘Completely wrong approach’
Since it was announced the move has come under fire from two divisions of food awareness organisation ProVeg International.
In a joint statement, ProVeg Nigeria and ProVeg Brazil said that the investment plan was “counterproductive to ensuring food security” in Nigeria and throughout Africa.
The bodies argued that “large-scale, intensive animal agriculture operations lead to heightened biosecurity risks, increased antibiotic resistance, deforestation and climate-damaging emissions” and said that Brazil, where JBS is based, is already experiencing a number of these consequences.
“This is the completely wrong approach to food production in Africa in the 21st Century and detrimental to food security, as it will lead to feed agriculture being prioritized over food production for the people,” said Hakeem Jimo, Director of ProVeg Nigeria
“We can feed seven times more people with nutritious, plant-protein rich food than with inefficient animal protein.”