Even critics of Plan Colombia admit this is a step in the right direction. But they worry that the time lines being placed on these programs are too short. Wachtenheim explains that farmers who want this help, must pull out all their coca plants within one year. If they comply, their farms will not be fumigated. But program organisers face some daunting hurdles.
Transportation is a big problem.
The roads in Putumayo are spine-jarringly bad and markets are far away. The government will have to spend tens of millions improving the infrastructure to make the region competitive. The tropical soils are also acidic and fragile, they're quickly exhausted. What's more, Colombian farmers are sceptical about government programs. Past attempts at alternative development we re so badly designed, they fell on their face.