Coca as currency in Colombia

Coca as currency in Colombia

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As the government nears a historic peace deal with the rebels of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the nation's authorities are struggling to tame an increase in farming of coca, the raw material used to make cocaine.

In the Guyabero Region, where many people work on coca plantations, locals barter coca paste to buy groceries at the local shop.

. Cano Lajas, Colombia. Reuters/John Vizcaino

Leftist FARC rebels agreed in 2014 to break ties with drug traffickers, help eradicate illegal crops like coca and help fight the production of narcotics.

But authorities have accused the rebels of instead stoking resistance to the eradication of illicit coca crops and keeping up their ties to drug trafficking.

. Guayabero, Colombia. Reuters/John Vizcaino

The latest United Nations figures showed a 44 percent increase in coca cultivations in 2014 to 69,000 hectares (170,503 acres) in the South American nation. The U.S. government estimates there were 159,000 hectares in 2015.

. Cano Lajas, Colombia. Reuters/John Vizcaino

Many farmers, who according to the U.N. Office of Drugs and Crime earn an average of $1,000 a year, are well aware of the harmful uses of their crops but say they have no other choice.

"The government does not want to resolve the huge problem we have here," said Orlando Castilla, president of the Farmers Association in the Guaviare region. "We appear to be rich, millionaries on a national and international level, but we have nothing to live off."

. Guayabero, Colombia. Reuters/John Vizcaino

Ferin Oviedo, a representative of the Guayabero Regional Farmers' Association, said coca, unlike the government, helped provide the local residents with "a way of sustaining their families in every sense."

. Guayabero, Colombia. Reuters/John Vizcaino

Even Colombian Defence Minister Luis Carlos Villegas, who has deployed some 7,000 soldiers to eradicate coca in the country, admits that the crop will probably increase until 2018.

That is, he added, "if things go well."

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Slideshow

Fumigation equipment is seen outside a shack at a small coca farm.
. Guayabero, Colombia. Reuters/John Vizcaino

Fumigation equipment is seen outside a shack at a small coca farm.

A worker walks over crushed coca leaves, mixed with chemicals, as part of the process to make coca paste.
. Guayabero, Colombia. Reuters/John Vizcaino

A worker walks over crushed coca leaves, mixed with chemicals, as part of the process to make coca paste.

A worker sprays chemicals over crushed coca leaves.
. Guayabero, Colombia. Reuters/John Vizcaino

A worker sprays chemicals over crushed coca leaves.

Crushed coca leaves mixed with chemicals soak in a barrel.
. Guayabero, Colombia. Reuters/John Vizcaino

Crushed coca leaves mixed with chemicals soak in a barrel.

A worker adds chemicals to the already processed coca leaves to make coca paste.
. Guayabero, Colombia. Reuters/John Vizcaino

A worker adds chemicals to the already processed coca leaves to make coca paste.

A worker strains coca paste.
. Guayabero, Colombia. Reuters/John Vizcaino

A worker strains coca paste.

A worker dries coca paste.
. Guayabero, Colombia. Reuters/John Vizcaino

A worker dries coca paste.

A worker shows coca paste after drying it.
. Guayabero, Colombia. Reuters/John Vizcaino

A worker shows coca paste after drying it.

Vegetables lie next to coca paste worth $8,000 Colombian pesos.
. Guayabero Region, Colombia. Reuters/John Vizcaino

Vegetables lie next to coca paste worth $8,000 Colombian pesos.

Rice and vegetables lie next to coca paste worth $8,000 Colombian pesos.
. Guayabero Region, Colombia. Reuters/John Vizcaino

Rice and vegetables lie next to coca paste worth $8,000 Colombian pesos.

Cleaning products lie next to coca paste worth $18,000 Colombian pesos.
. Guayabero Region, Colombia. Reuters/John Vizcaino

Cleaning products lie next to coca paste worth $18,000 Colombian pesos.

Grocery products lie next to coca paste worth $18,000 Colombian pesos.
. Guayabero Region, Colombia. Reuters/John Vizcaino

Grocery products lie next to coca paste worth $18,000 Colombian pesos.

Canned goods lie next to coca paste worth $26,000 Colombian pesos.
. Guayabero Region, Colombia. Reuters/John Vizcaino

Canned goods lie next to coca paste worth $26,000 Colombian pesos.

Grocery products lie next to coca paste worth $32,000 Colombian pesos.
. Guayabero Region, Colombia. Reuters/John Vizcaino

Grocery products lie next to coca paste worth $32,000 Colombian pesos.

Beverages lie next to coca paste worth $30,000 Colombian pesos.
. Guayabero Region, Colombia. Reuters/John Vizcaino

Beverages lie next to coca paste worth $30,000 Colombian pesos.

Grocery products lie next to coca paste worth $110,000 Colombian pesos.
. Guayabero Region, Colombia. Reuters/John Vizcaino

Grocery products lie next to coca paste worth $110,000 Colombian pesos.