Colombia: Women in Putumayo Turn to Fish Farming and Away from the Coca Industry

Nov 28, 2024 | Iñigo Alexander
Mongabay
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EL VENADO, Colombia — Until recently, the rolling green hills surrounding the tiny Colombian community of El Venado were covered with illegal coca plantations. Deep in the southern state of Putumayo and away from government oversight, Graciela Castillo, like many other locals, grew coca, a key ingredient in the production of cocaine.

Putumayo’s economy has long been tethered to coca production, with the illicit drug trade providing a stable and reliable economic lifeline for rural communities. But this has also exposed them to armed groups, human rights abuses and instability. Seeking an alternative, Castillo and other local women have switched to fish farming, which allows them to make a living, distance themselves from violence and fight against gender stereotypes.