Colombia's coca farmers struggle to switch to legal crops

In Colombia, many farmers who grow coca leaves, the main ingredient for cocaine, want to stop but find it hard because of a lack of support. These farmers say the government has not given them enough help to grow legal crops instead. Coca farming is profitable, but it also brings violence and legal risks. Farmers who want to quit often have no other options. Government programs to replace coca with crops like coffee, cocoa, or palm oil have existed for years, but farmers complain they don't receive enough training, seeds, or money to make a living. Some who tried to switch say they went back to coca farming because the legal alternatives did not provide enough income. The problem is worse in remote areas where the state has little presence and armed groups control the land. Experts say that to reduce cocaine production, the government needs to offer real economic alternatives and long-term support. Without that, many farmers feel trapped in the illegal economy. Colombia remains one of the world's largest producers of cocaine, and the struggle of farmers like these continues.