Colombia's Coca Planting Tops 250,000 Hectares as $11,000 Substitution Promises Fall Short
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · Jul 19
Colombia's Coca Planting Tops 250,000 Hectares as $11,000 Substitution Promises Fall Short
2 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Jul 19
Summary
More than 250,000 hectares of coca are now planted in Colombia, a record high that has pushed some farmers back into the cocaine supply chain after abandoning legal crops.
36 million Colombian pesos per family — about $11,000 — was promised under the 2017 PNIS substitution plan, but delayed payments, missing technical support, weak roads and floods left many unable to live off cassava, plantain or other legal crops.
Around 100,000 families joined the programme created under the 2016 peace deal with Farc, but policy shifted toward eradication under Iván Duque and the effort was already behind schedule when Gustavo Petro took office in 2022.
70% of the world's cocaine supply comes from Colombia, where coca remains attractive because it yields several harvests a year, is easier to transport and offers predictable prices in areas still shaped by armed groups and fragile security.
RenHacemos, launched last year in pilot areas, aims to replace the wider coca economy with support for roads, housing, education and connectivity, though analysts say rising global demand and repeated policy failures cloud its chances.
As another drug war strategy fails, is Colombia trapped in an unbreakable cycle of coca cultivation?
Can any legal crop ever truly compete with the immense profits of the global cocaine market?
Colombia’s Escalating Coca Cultivation: Regional Drivers, Policy Gaps, and the Future of Drug Reform
Overview
Colombia faces a growing crisis as coca cultivation and cocaine production continue to rise, especially in regions like Cauca and Nariño. This increase is driven by the strong presence and control of dissident FARC groups and other criminal organizations, which boost the productive capacity of coca plantations. Efforts to reduce coca through crop substitution programs have been consistently undermined, as these criminal groups maintain influence and farmers lack effective support. The ongoing expansion of coca highlights the deep challenges Colombia faces in tackling both organized crime and the limitations of current policy approaches.