Returning to the Roots: Why Colombian Farmers Are Replanting Coca

Constantvpn.com – After years of trying to build a legal future, Perea found himself once again planting coca leaves on his small farm. Located in a remote section of Colombia’s Meta province, accessible only by river, his land had been transformed when he first decided to leave the cocaine trade behind. He pulled up the green bushes and replaced them with traditional crops such as cassava and plantain. Like thousands of other cultivators, he enrolled in a government initiative designed to help farmers transition away from coca cultivation.

Unfortunately, the promised aid never fully materialized. Poor infrastructure and frequent flooding created obstacles for selling his new crops. By 2024, disappointment had set in, and he resumed planting coca. “It’s a tragedy,” Perea reflects. “But when you have children and no work, what choice do you have? If no help ever arrives, you go back to growing it.”

A Crop with Deep Roots and Modern Challenges

The coca leaf holds historical significance for indigenous communities across South America, where it has been used for centuries in teas and medicinal preparations. Today, however, the majority of the harvest is processed into cocaine. Colombia currently accounts for approximately 70 percent of worldwide cocaine production.

Lucas Marín Llanes, a researcher specializing in the coca economy, highlights several practical benefits of the crop. “Coca has some major advantages over other crops,” he explains. “Harvests are quick – farmers can get three or four a year – it’s easier to transport, and farmers know what price they’ll get.”

His research indicates that coca cultivation can significantly benefit local economies. Between 2014 and 2019, certain municipalities experienced GDP increases of up to 10 percent due to coca farming activities.

The Promise and Reality of Substitution Programs

Elena Hernández relocated to the Guaviare region during the 1990s coca boom, attracted by improved earnings. “There was more money back then – you could see it everywhere,” she recalls. “I managed to save and buy a small house.” However, the industry also introduced violence and instability as armed factions competed for territory while authorities attempted to reduce production through manual removal, aerial spraying, and arrests.

When the National Comprehensive Programme for the Substitution of Illicit Crops (PNIS) launched in 2017, Hernández joined approximately 100,000 families who received financial commitments in exchange for abandoning coca. Each household was entitled to receive 36 million Colombian pesos—roughly $11,000 or £8,000—distributed across two years. “The way it was presented to us, it seemed very promising for the development of our territory,” Hernández notes.

The PNIS emerged from the 2016 peace agreement between the Colombian government and the Farc guerrilla organization. Participants received technical assistance from agronomists and guidance on soil management. While earlier substitution efforts existed, PNIS represented the most extensive attempt to date.

Shifting Priorities and Unfulfilled Expectations

Initially, the program showed promise in regions like southern Meta and Guaviare, where coca fields gave way to lemon orchards, banana plantations, and small livestock operations. Many farmers, including Hernández, maintained their distance from coca cultivation.

Yet satisfaction remained limited. “The government wasn’t very committed to us farmers. We were treated badly,” Hernández observes, citing early problems with delayed payments and insufficient technical support. Weak governmental presence in rural zones and poor inter-agency coordination further complicated matters.

Political changes gradually eroded momentum. President Iván Duque, elected in 2018, redirected focus toward eradication and security measures. When Gustavo Petro assumed the presidency in 2022, PNIS was already lagging behind its targets and struggling to serve communities effectively.

Despite these challenges, some farmers experienced positive outcomes. Doralba Bejarano from Puerto Rico in southern Meta reported improvements in her situation, though she remains among the minority who benefited from the program’s efforts.

Today, coca cultivation has reached unprecedented levels exceeding 250,000 hectares. Many participants in substitution programs feel abandoned by a system that promised transformation but delivered inconsistent results. For farmers like Perea and Hernández, the decision to return to coca represents not failure, but survival in the face of unmet expectations and difficult circumstances.