Colombia

In 2023, coca bushes were cultivated on approximately 253,000 hectares in Colombia, according to UNODC data. About half of these plants grow in special management areas, including protected zones. Farmers who illegally cultivate coca in these areas face marginalisation in many ways: economically, politically, and socially. The remote nature reserves lack infrastructure, market access, schools, and healthcare, and the state is scarcely present as a protective power. Drug dealers initially supply the communities with coca seeds and later buy the harvests directly from them. For many families, dealing with local dealers is often the only way to earn an income. This creates a dilemma: they must survive, but in doing so, they cause massive environmental damage and permanently destroy their own livelihoods.

Illicit cultivation harms the natural habitat in multiple ways. Farmers clear primary forests to create farmland. When coca is processed into cocaine—a process that usually takes place on site—harmful chemicals are used, which contaminate soils and rivers. Coca cultivation also pushes the agricultural frontier deeper into protected areas, as illicit activities attract more settlers and (illegal) sectors, while drug money is laundered through other agricultural ventures, such as cattle ranching. The direct and indirect impacts on the local ecosystem are devastating.

The GPDPD has been integrating drug and environmental policies into a green drug policy in Colombia since 2015. On behalf of the  Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and in collaboration with the Colombian Government, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), as well as regional and local partners, we have implemented eight Alternative Development projects in Putumayo, Caquetá, Guaviare, Nariño, Meta, and Valle del Cauca. By 2018, the partners had implemented five projects under the bilateral cooperation programme on Protection of Forests and the Climate (REDD+), with coca-driven deforestation as the primary issue to address.

In collaboration with UNODC, two additional projects on sustainable and legal forest management have been underway since 2022, and the use of Payment for Environmental Services in Forest Reserve Areas is currently being implemented. Additionally, since 2023, Sustainable Economic Alternatives have been explored in Farallones National Natural Park. These projects are complemented by studies and policy recommendations for a green drug policy for the Colombian Government, in collaboration with the Fundación Ideas para la Paz (FIP). 

To make the special issue "Environmental Impacts of Illicit Economies" of the Journal on Illicit Economies and Development accessible to Spanish-speaking stakeholders, a Spanish edition was produced exclusively with the support of the Center for Security and Drugs Studies (CESED) at the University of Los Andes. CESED and GPDPD have also jointly developed a digital tool for Colombian authorities interested in developing projects to pay for environmental services. The tool helps select the most suitable areas based on criteria established for each project.

The aim is to promote legal and sustainable value chains that contribute to the regeneration and protection of forests. In line with the Alternative Development approach, local authorities, producer associations, and smallholders are closely involved in the projects. This not only strengthens smallholders’ roles in the transformation process but also serves as a critical success factor for the projects.

Small-scale farmers are already generating more income through the projects by sustainably using and marketing local fruits such as açaí, cocoa, and coffee. The farmers have been trained in sustainable management and environmentally friendly farming methods. They also receive support in obtaining certification for their products and in securing fair trade agreements with local companies. This enables them to earn higher prices, with some products even being sold by national companies on international markets in Europe and the USA.

In the protected areas and special administrative regions for Afro-Colombians and indigenous peoples, even stricter regulations apply to agriculture, including complete bans in some cases. This poses challenges for Alternative Development projects. However, there are approaches that have proven their worth in practice and are being incorporated into studies and policy recommendations. Some particularly promising initiatives include ecotourism and payments to local communities for maintaining their ecosystems.

Small-scale farmers participating in Alternative Development projects in Colombia demonstrate how green drug policies can lead to lasting transformations in affected regions. Through their experiences, they are creating new prototypes for contemporary drug policies.