Colombia Replaced 15,000 Hectares of Coca Crops, UN Reports

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) validated the replacement of 15,000 hectares of coca crops in Colombia, a figure that Gustavo Petro’s government presents as progress in its voluntary eradication strategy, although it comes amid debate over the historic growth of illicit crops in the country.

The international certification represents one of the main arguments used by the Petro administration to defend its anti-drug policy based on agreements with farming communities and voluntary substitution, rather than forced eradication and aerial spraying with glyphosate.

However, the result comes alongside concerns from authorities and critical sectors over the expansion of illegal economies in several regions of the country.

Colombia replaced 15,000 hectares of coca crops, UN reports

The United Nations certification corresponds to hectares where growers committed to removing coca leaves and moving toward legal productive activities within programs promoted by the national government.

UNODC verification is carried out through technical visits to the territory, satellite monitoring, and field inspections to confirm that the reported areas are no longer being used for illicit crops.

The Colombian government has defended this mechanism as an alternative to reduce the economic dependence of thousands of rural families that for decades have turned to coca due to a lack of productive opportunities, state presence, and security conditions.

According to the Petro administration, the approach seeks to address the social causes that have allowed drug trafficking to persist in historically neglected regions.

The figure certified by the United Nations adds to a program that, according to official data, includes thousands of families involved in voluntary substitution processes in departments where coca cultivation has remained persistent, such as Nariño, Putumayo, and Norte de Santander.

Although the certification represents an achievement for the government, the overall situation of illicit crops remains one of Colombia’s main challenges. The United Nations report on coca cultivation has shown an increase in planted areas in recent years, with levels that keep the country as the world’s leading cocaine producer.

The contrast between the substitution of hectares and the growth of the total cultivated area reflects the complexity of the problem. While some communities voluntarily abandon coca cultivation, other territories are experiencing the expansion of new crops driven by illegal armed groups and drug trafficking networks that control illicit economies in rural areas.

For the Petro government, the explanation is linked to decades of policies focused primarily on prosecuting growers rather than transforming the economic conditions of these regions. The administration argues that voluntary substitution allows for more lasting solutions by directly involving affected communities.

Its critics, however, argue that progress in eradication does not offset the increase in coca crops recorded in recent years and warn that the territorial expansion of criminal organizations remains a threat to national security.

The challenge for Colombia’s anti-drug policy

The certification of the 15,000 hectares comes during the final stage of the Petro administration and becomes one of the key figures in its record on the fight against drugs. The government seeks to leave behind a policy legacy that prioritized agreements with farmers and voluntary substitution over mandatory eradication operations.

However, the next government will face the challenge of determining how to continue the strategy against a phenomenon that combines rural poverty, the presence of armed groups, international drug trafficking, and pressure on environmentally sensitive territories.

The debate over coca in Colombia will continue to be shaped by a permanent tension: while thousands of hectares can be replaced with state support and international backing, the ability of illegal organizations to establish new crops keeps alive one of the country’s most longstanding problems.

Pending the change in anti-drug policy announced by the incoming government of Abelardo de la Espriella, the South American country continues to show disagreements over how to address illicit crops, the main source of financing for illegal armed groups.