The Twilight of Coca, The Sovereign
On the eve of Colombia's ambitious crop substitution programme, the farmers who survived off of illicit crops are cautiously preparing for a life in the field without war, without coca. Not everything is peace, as the once vanquished right-wing paramilitary groups are staging a comeback to take control of the territories the coca-funded rebels are leaving behind. For coca farmers and social leaders like Nora, whom I followed in the indigenous state of Putumayo, the promise of crop substitution is a path towards licit prosperity amid the uncertainty of post-war Colombia.
Jose Maria, Putumayo. Colombia.
May 2017
