Fat broiler chicken, made possible by The Netherlands
Why is Dutch public money used to sponsor the world’s largest chicken factory farm in Ukraine , when we don’t even accept the production of broiler chicken on our own soil? That was the central parliamentary question raised by the Party for the Animals (Partij voor de Dieren) in August 2012, just after Both ENDS and its Ukrainian partner NECU published the report Dutch money, strange meat. Now, three years later, the factory farms of Myronivsky Hliboproduct(MHP) keep expanding. And the massive slaughtering of more than 300 million chickens a year is still made possible by the Dutch tax payer through multilateral financial institutions and Dutch export credits.
Following the continuous complaints and concerns of local inhabitants in the area, an international team investigated the social and environmental impacts of the mega broiler chicken factory in May this year. The report Black Earth – written by Bankwatch, NECU, Both ENDS, Estonian Green Movement, Latvian Green Movement and SOMO – concludes that the scale and method by which the chickens are bred and slaughtered present unacceptable risks for public health, such as the pollution of soil, water and air, and manure stench and noise.
From mega-stable to mega-factory
Instead of taking time for reflection to tackle the social and environmental problems, the factory does precisely the opposite as it seeks to expand its capacity and increase export production. Already now, the factory breeds almost 60% of the industrially produced chicken in Ukraine. The expansion is largely supported by European tax money. Moreover, many local inhabitants that were interviewed told the researchers that MHP is attempting to persuade them through intimidation to lease their land to the company, in spite of their resistance to the expansion of the factory farms.
Fair competition
Meanwhile, the report urges that the Ukrainian agricultural sector should become sustainable. Decision-making processes at both the local and national levels should be more transparent and democratic, because only transparent dialogues between the government, the MHP, the local inhabitants and civil society organisations can actually promote sustainable and fair solutions for the current problems. The report also concludes that European money should in fact be spent to support small farmers and small and medium enterprises (SME) in getting access to land and modern technologies, so that they can contribute to a sustainable and healthy development of the economy.
Latest news
On October 14 the East European Bank EBRD intends to decide on a new loan of 85 million Euros for financing the production and processing of chicken food. It is therefore time to reflect on whether there are valid arguments to support this company with even more public money.
For further information:
Black Earth (September 2015), Bankwatch, Both ENDS and SOMO
Background story with photo's ,(September 2015), Bankwatch
Chicken Run (September 2015), SOMO
Trouw Opinie: We doen elders wat hier niet mag (in Dutch newspaper June 2015), SOMO and Both ENDS
Nederlands geld, vreemd vlees (Report in Dutch , 2012), Both ENDS and NECU
Links:
Source (photo): Chesapeake Bay Program (flickr)
Read more about this subject
-
Event / 12 March 2025, 09:30 - 11:15
The Conflict, Gender, Climate Nexus: Localized understanding and policy recommendations
Across the world, women lead efforts to advance peace, gender and environmental justice. From the Philippines to Mozambique, Burkina Faso to Brazil, they face a deadly convergence of violence, environmental destruction, and extractivist land grabs. As corporate interests, state forces or other armed actors expand into their territories, entire communities are displaced, criminalized, or subjected to violent repression. At the same time, worsening…
-
News / 4 March 2025
Feminist March 2025: let's take to the streets for gender justice
Women's rights are under pressure worldwide, and hard-fought rights and freedoms are being dismantled. Whereas until recently the Netherlands was a champion of emancipation, women's rights and gender justice, the current cabinet is breaking with this policy and abandoning millions of women and girls. That is why Both ENDS, together with many other allies, will be taking to the streets on 8 March. It is time to make a strong stand against the…
-
Letter / 3 March 2025
Input for FMO’s “investment approach to responsibly managed forest plantations”
Both ENDS has been asked by FMO to comment on its draft investment approach to responsibly managed forest plantations. To follow are a number of observations and recommendations, partially informed by Both ENDS long legacy of working in the forest & land arena, in dialogue with international donors, philanthropic foundations, companies, certification bodies and notably with forest dependent communities and other land users.
-
News / 21 February 2025
Cabinet turns its back on international cooperation and solidarity with callous policy letter
Foreign Trade and Development Minister Klever's published policy letter is coldhearted and callous. It places the Netherlands in international isolation…
-
Press release / 18 February 2025
Trade deal fueling resource grab? 120+ groups from Europe and Indonesia sound the alarm
Brussels, 18 February 2025 - Over 120 civil society organizations and trade unions from Indonesia and Europe today call on the Indonesian government and the European Union to stop the negotiations for the Indonesia-EU free trade agreement – the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement…
-
Dossier /
Seeking justice for the affected communities of Vale’s mining disasters in Mariana and Brumadinho
In 2015 and 2019, the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais experienced two severe mining tragedies in Mariana and Brumadinho, due to the same mining company: Vale. Since then, the affected communities have been seeking justice, via the criminal punishment of the responsible parties, and a fair compensation for the loss of their loved ones, their homes and their livelihoods. Both ENDS supports local CSOs by amplifying their quest for justice within an international audience and, more specifically, by raising awareness amongst Dutch investors in Vale about the high risks this company’s…
-
Dossier /
Towards a socially and environmentally just energy transition
To address the climate crisis we need to urgently transition away from fossil fuels towards clean, renewable energy. However, this transition is not only about changing energy sources. It requires an inclusive and fair process that tackles systemic inequalities and demanding consumption patterns…
-
Blog / 30 January 2025
Brumadinho’s painful “seas of mud”
By Carolina de Moura
Six years ago, Brumadinho tailings dam I, from the Paraopeba Complex, owned by mining company Vale, collapsed. January 25th, 2019, forever changed the lives of thousands. The scars remain open, and the quest for justice, remembrance, and prevention of future mining crimes endures despite all adversities. This was manslaughter coupled with socio-environmental devastation of proportions difficult to measure. These are irreparable losses and damages that could have been avoided if it wasn’t for the greed, negligence, and irresponsibility of decision-makers at Vale, the German…
-
Blog / 28 January 2025
Sinking promises in Manila
Yesterday, Global Witness published a new report, "Sunk Costs" - in which I had a modest role to play - that comes up with new facts about the disastrous New Manila International Airport project in the Philippines, for which the Dutch dredging multinational Boskalis received Dutch export credit…
-
News / 22 January 2025
-
Publication / 16 January 2025
-
News / 16 January 2025
DetoX: Both ENDS leaves X
Both ENDS, along with many other Dutch organisations, is leaving social media platform X. In January, we will join the campaign ‘#DetoX’ by De Goede Zaak and Stem op een Vrouw. We hope that many organisations will follow us so that the hate, misinformation and the undermining of democracy on…
-
News / 13 January 2025
New partnership with Netherlands Enterprise Agency for resilient food systems in Sahel
The situation in Africa's Sahel is the world's fastest-growing humanitarian crisis. Over 3 million people are fleeing violence. They are ravaged by hunger, disease and increasing drought caused by climate change. Both ENDS and its partners are successfully working on accelerating the resilience of local food systems and communities in the Sahel, based on ‘Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration’ (FMNR). The project, funded by DOB Ecology, will end…
-
News / 24 December 2024
LILAK's Dare to Trust projects: Dreams transformed into actions
LILAK has worked alongside indigenous women communities for over a decade, focusing on building capacity and advocating for rights to land, the environment, and bodily autonomy. Despite gaining recognition and trust from allies, the journey was challenging. Starting with limited resources, LILAK faced resistance, particularly from patriarchal leaders and the state, which often labeled them as adversaries. Nevertheless, they adapted and…
-
News / 24 December 2024
Dare to Trust: a journey of culture, renewal, and empowerment of Sengwer women
Historically, the Sengwer community has lived in harmony with their environment, relying on forest resources for sustenance and integrating conservation into their daily lives. However, recent government policies aimed at forest protection have limited their access to these ancestral lands. Although these regulations intend to protect the environment, they often disregard the traditional conservation practices of indigenous communities like the Sengwer, who have been natural stewards of these lands for generations. Faced with these restrictions, the Segerger Women’s Conservation…
-
News / 24 December 2024
Forum Suape empowers women's groups with Dare to Trust-grants
Forum Suape decided to help several women’s groups in their network. First, they wanted to understand the desires and needs of each group, with the aim of fostering collective thinking and understanding their collective interests and goals. Five groups were selected, one group had difficulty in…
-
News / 24 December 2024
Dare to Trust: Sowing dreams irrigated with droplets of trust (Colectivo CASA)
Collectivo CASA in Bolivia, with support from Both ENDS and Dare to Trust, found great satisfaction in assisting women defenders with personal and economic needs. This support allowed the women to express their needs and develop a shared vision for their improvement. Although managing funds sustainably posed challenges, the women defenders demonstrated their skills by quickly creating a “Plan for Good Living,” (“Buen Vivir” in Spanish)…
-
News / 24 December 2024
NTFP-EP supports grassroots women’s organisations with Dare to Trust-grants
The pilot of Dare to Trust, facilitated by NTFP-EP, was implemented in two grassroots women’s organisations in the Philippines and Cambodia. The Dare to Trust project provided them with the independence to utilize the resources they have and thus handed to them the agency for more grounded and better judgment. By giving more liberty to the communities we are moving them away from bureaucratic processes and power structures, and…
-
News / 23 December 2024
Dare to Trust: LSD supports women to speak up after losing their houses
Lumière Synergie pour Développement (LSD) has helped 63 individual women who all have had problems due to the development of a controversial train project (TER) in Senegal and a recent big earthquake. These communities are displaced by the train project, involuntarily resettled, their property…
-
News / 23 December 2024
Dare to Trust: Beneficiaries Tell Success Stories of Kebetkache Development Empowerment Project
The Dare to Trust-initiative, led by Kebetkache Women Development & Resource Centre with support from Both ENDS, empowers individuals with business potential who face financial constraints. The program has successfully supported 40 beneficiaries, enabling them to grow their businesses…