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More than 230,000 peasant families depend on coca cultivation as the main means of economic sustenance. This is indicated by the campaign “Faces that sow”, presented by civil society organizations.
The National Coordinator of Coca, Poppy and Marijuana Growers of Colombia (COCCAM), the NGO Christian Aid and the José Alvear Restrepo Lawyers Collective (Cajar) are the promoters of this initiative that seeks to combat the stigma that these producers carry, the weakest link in the drug trafficking production chain.
Peasant families depend on coca cultivation
Coca cultivation, the raw material for cocaine production, is an economic issue for many peasant communities. “It has to do with the fact that these territories years ago were marginalized from the development of the country and suffered the historical abandonment of the State,” said the national delegate of COCCAM, Arnobi Zapata, quoted in a statement.
The lack of opportunities and profitability of the coca leaf, with which they earn “about two minimum wages”, also favors illegal crops. This, compared to other traditional ones such as coffee or cocoa, whose commercialization is more difficult, points out the campaign.
Coca growers also face the problem that they live under the yoke of illegal armed groups. They are the ones who regulate the coca market.
Hoping to start transforming their economy, 99,000 families took up the National Comprehensive Program for the Substitution of Illicit Crops (PNIS), as a result of the peace agreement signed in November 2016 with the former FARC guerrillas. While Christian Aid seeks to help them with legal crop marketing programs.
This initiative began with the “María Caicedo Project” for the development of inclusive markets, which studied cases in three places in the country: the Cimitarra River Valley, the Catatumbo and Tuluá, in Valle del Cauca.
Challenges of the field
The report shows that the greatest obstacles to the voluntary replacement of coca lie in the lack of infrastructure, public services, such as educational and health centers, and high production and transportation costs.
It also identified structural problems, such as lack of land ownership, which hinders access to formal financing.
“The food merchants in the peasant communities grant loans, not necessarily in cash. Just because they have a coca leaf crop because of the confidence in terms of the return it generates,” the study indicated.
Still, several programs for the voluntary replacement of illicit crops are already operational. This is the case of Ecobúfalo in Magdalena Medio, which has 80 associates. In addition to the Café Soberano, in Valle del Cauca, with some 400 members.
Women and youth
The campaign also wants to make the work of youth and women visible. They represent almost half of the labor force in coca cultivation and in the production of base paste.
Normally “they are the ones who take over the chores in the kitchen. They are also the ones who keep the accounts and are responsible for paying the workers,” according to the study “The role of women and youth in the economy of pasta. coca base “.
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