Colombia's Coca Substitution Programme Fails to Deliver, Leaving Farmers in Peril

The Colombian government's ambitious plan to eradicate coca production through a nationwide substitution programme has hit a snag. Despite promising financial support to farmers who agreed to uproot their coca crops, much of the assistance never arrived, leaving many families in a precarious situation.

When you have children and no work, what choice do you have? If no help ever arrives, you go back to growing it.

Farmers like Perea, who joined the programme in Meta province, were forced to return to growing coca due to the lack of roads and recurring floods that made it difficult to sell their legal crops. The situation is dire, with an estimated 250,000 hectares of coca now being cultivated, a record high. Researcher Lucas Marín Llanes notes that coca cultivation can actually boost local economies, increasing municipal GDP by up to 10% in some areas.

The failure of the substitution programme is a stark reminder of the complexities of Colombia's internal conflict. The government's efforts to curb coca production have been hampered by the lack of resources and infrastructure, leaving farmers vulnerable to the allure of quick profits from coca production. As the country prepares for its presidential election, the fate of these farmers hangs in the balance, with many wondering if the government will follow through on its promises to support them.