Colombia: Colombia Tries to Get Farmers Away from the Cocaine Biz. How's That Going?

Nov 24, 2018 | WVXU
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Culcha's troubles stand as a cautionary tale as Colombia tries to roll back soaring drug production. Last year, the country produced a record 422,550 acres of coca, enough to make about 1,500 tons of cocaine, according to a United Nations 2017 survey.Production has increased every year since 2012, despite efforts to curb it. The government's anti-drug policy involves carrots and sticks. Besides sending in teams of police eradicators to uproot coca plants, the government is helping drug farmers transition to raising food and livestock.