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| Elimination of illicit drug production: alternative development
Despite a remarkable decrease in the country’s cocaine supply to the world market since the 1990s, Peru still remains the world’s second largest coca leaf producer (PDF). In Peru, as well as in Colombia and Bolivia, illicit coca growing is mostly the business of small-scale farm families. In an environment that does not offer many alternatives, these families become coca producers in order to escape poverty. Caught between drug traffickers and terrorist groups, coca growing often becomes the only income source for an estimated 200,000 small farm families in Peru, Bolivia and Colombia. Since the beginning of its activities, UNODC has attached great importance to alternative development as a way to reduce coca production by providing farm families with secure and licit incomes. The success of UNODC’s alternative development strategy depends on the capacity of its programmes to generate added value to the new products cultivated in replacement of coca. This is why alternative development programmes do not only focus on agricultural technology, but also on improving transport infrastructures, and agro-industrial processing and marketing techniques ("Alternative development in the Andean area"- PDF). After successful pilot experiences in the Huallaga and Convención y Lares valleys, UNODC has been working closely with DEVIDA, the Peruvian national drug control commission, to consolidate and increase the geographic reach of alternative development activities to offer Peruvian farmers a better future ("Farmers offered a sustainable future", English, Spanish - PDF). The Peruvian model for alternative development consists, on the one hand, in strengthening local farmer organizations and, on the other hand, in improving and diversifying farm production. Additionally, UNODC projects attribute special attention to the development of agro-industrial techniques and to the marketing of final products in order to secure the highest possible income to farmers. Related articles:
The aim of this project is to create favourable conditions for alternative development in the Rio Apurimac-Ene region. local farmers are the main target of this scheme. UNODC assists them in their effort to abandon coca production in favour of licit crops, such as coffee, cacao, palm heart, fruit trees and other food crops. The plan provides direct assistance to the farmers, and so far, more than 2,500 hectares of licit crops have been planted and 2,200 households have been helped in converting their farms. More than 1,910 hectares of coffee and some 400 hectares of cacao have received ecological certification, allowing farmers to strongly compete in the market and to obtain higher incomes. UNODC also supports farmer organizations through marketing credits, organic coffee certification and through the installation of a new agricultural processing plant.
The purpose of this project is to provide local farmers with licit income by diversifying agricultural production through the planting of palm oil (realvideo), palm heart, coffee, cocoa and rice. The project works with 1,088 households in an area larger than 2,000 hectares. UNODC also assists four farmer organizations through marketing credits, technical supervision and training. The project helped to create technical departments in ACOPAGRO and Oro Verde, two of the main farmer cooperatives in the country. These associations have now assumed the responsibility for coordinating, planning and delivering technical assistance activities to the farming families. The project is also unique in that it applies a gender-sensitive approach. The project includes the construction of a palm oil plant, which is already in progress, and underlines the importance of providing coffee producers with additional income through ecological certification. Initially planned as a three year scheme, the project was extended for two more years in 2002. Read more information about the farmer organizations and statements from project participants. (PDF)
This project aims to diversify the local licit economy by introducing and improving licit crops and livestock, through cattle-breeding, pasture management and the production of coffee and palm oil. The project seeks to establish licit income-generating activities in the Valleys of Pichis, Palcazu and Aguaytia, an area which is populated by 82,000 inhabitants, of which 10,000 will directly benefit from UNODC’s activities. More than 500 hectares of palm oil crops and nurseries have already been planted, together with 200 hectares of coffee. The two major activities of UNODC in this area are: a) a pilot livestock programme, which aims at the genetic improvement of 5,000 head of cattle and b) the planting of palm crops and the construction of a palm oil processing plant. The project also promotes the cultivation of cotton, palm-heart and rubber crops, and has began supporting 500 families of native communities in income-generating activities, such as rubber production and forest management. The programme was recently evaluated and is considered a good option for generating economic impact. Experts on the ground are considering the possibility of strengthening and extending the programme for the future.
This alternative development project works to assist 1,500 households. It aims to diversify the licit economy in the region by introducing and improving crops that had not been planted before, such as coffee and citrus fruits. The project focuses also on the development of processing and marketing facilities, with the purpose of making local products – mainly coffee, cocoa, honey, fruit juice and canned fruit – compete better in the market. UNODC also supports the existing cooperatives in the implementation of organic coffee certification. Another important aspect of the project is the importance given to the development of transport facilities. The project works to improve rural road infrastructures and, so far, some 146 km of roads have been constructed and renovated in order to allow products to reach the markets more easily and cost-effectively.
This project is a continuation of UNODC activities in the field of illicit crop monitoring. Devised as the follow up to the 1998 project on monitoring coca production, this project has the purpose of ensuring that databases previously established are updated yearly (Peru Coca Survey for 2002 - PDF). Additionally, it also aims to establish a methodology that precisely determines the location and the extent of illicit opium poppy cultivation in Peru, such as air photography analysis and satellite image interpretation. Another aspect of monitoring consists in strengthening DEVIDA, the Peruvian National drug control commission, both in its technical and managerial capacities. The project also aims to expand existing databases to include additional economic indicators, directly or indirectly linked to coca production activities. | ||||||||||||||
Budget: US$ 3.6 million
Budget: US$ 6.1 million
udget: US$ 6.4 million
udget: US$ 5.7 million
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