Colombia’s efforts to reduce coca cultivation through crop substitution programs have faced significant challenges, with farmers reporting broken promises and inadequate support despite initial optimism.
The National Comprehensive Programme for the Substitution of Illicit Crops (PNIS), introduced in 2017 following Colombia’s peace agreement with the Farc guerrilla group, promised financial assistance and technical support to approximately 100,000 families willing to abandon coca production. Participating households were to receive 36 million Colombian pesos over two years, along with agricultural guidance and soil management advice. Early efforts showed promise, with coca fields replaced by lemon trees, banana crops, and livestock farms in some southern regions. However, the program encountered numerous obstacles including delayed payments, missing technical support, weak state infrastructure in rural areas, and poor coordination between government agencies.
Despite these challenges, some farmers report meaningful improvements in their circumstances. One participant described gaining peace of mind and freedom from fear of law enforcement after transitioning away from coca production. However, many others, including those who initially committed to the substitution program, have returned to growing coca due to lack of infrastructure, transportation difficulties, and insufficient economic alternatives.
The government has launched a successor program called RenHacemos, which expands beyond simple crop replacement to address broader economic development needs, including road improvements, educational access, digital connectivity, and housing upgrades. However, analysts and farmers express skepticism about whether such initiatives can succeed given broader structural challenges. International demand for cocaine in North American and European markets remains strong, and Colombian rural areas face ongoing security concerns as armed groups compete for control of drug trafficking routes. Researchers note that coca cultivation has reached record levels exceeding 250,000 hectares, suggesting that repeated government interventions have failed to achieve lasting reductions in production.