This farmer wanted to quit the cocaine industry - he couldn't

Core point

Farmer Perea attempted to leave the coca industry by replacing coca plants with legal crops, but faced numerous challenges. He participated in a government crop substitution program, which promised assistance that largely failed to materialize. Perea expressed the difficulty of providing for his family without support, leading him to consider returning to coca cultivation. Colombia's coca production has reached record levels, despite efforts to promote legal alternatives.