Key facts
- Colombian farmer Perea returned to growing coca after a government crop substitution program failed to deliver promised support.
- The National Comprehensive Programme for the Substitution of Illicit Crops (PNIS) aimed to help farmers abandon coca cultivation.
- Many farmers, like Perea and Hernández, reported delayed payments and lack of technical assistance.
- Coca cultivation in Colombia is at record levels, with demand from the US and Europe cited as a major factor.
- The current government's RenHacemos program aims to diversify local economies beyond just crop replacement.
A Colombian farmer named Perea has returned to growing coca, the primary ingredient for cocaine, after a government-led crop substitution program failed to provide adequate support. Perea, who initially replaced coca plants on his remote farm with legal crops like cassava and plantain, cited a lack of financial assistance, poor infrastructure, and recurring floods as reasons for his disillusionment.
He is one of thousands who joined the National Comprehensive Programme for the Substitution of Illicit Crops (PNIS), launched in 2017 following a peace deal. Farmers were promised financial aid, technical support, and advice on soil management in exchange for uprooting coca. However, many, including Perea and another farmer, Elena Hernández, reported delayed payments and a failure of promised support to materialize. Hernández, who joined a similar program in the 1990s, also experienced these issues.
Coca cultivation in Colombia has reached record levels, with an estimated 70% of the global cocaine supply originating from the country. Researchers like Lucas Marín Llanes note that coca offers significant advantages over legal crops, including faster harvests, easier transport, and predictable pricing, which can boost local economies. The continuing demand for cocaine in the US and Europe, along with a fragile security situation due to the presence of armed groups, further fuels coca production.
Despite these challenges, some farmers, like Doralba Bejarano, have found success with substitution programs, reporting peace of mind and improved livelihoods. The current Colombian government is attempting to address the shortcomings of previous programs with its RenHacemos initiative, which focuses on broader economic diversification beyond just crop replacement, including infrastructure improvements and access to education.