While the West struggles with the uncertainty of coronavirus, for Afghanistan it’s a way of life, and opium poppy cultivation is an important part.
The intimidation and assassination of social leaders: Colombia’s other pandemic
Social leader Marco Rivadeneira was murdered during the COVID-19 mayhem – intimidation has not ceased as has been reported.
Camilo Acero Vargas on tough trade-offs for Colombia’s coca farmers
Camilo Acero Vargas, Political Scientist at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia talks about the positive and negative impacts of coca economies for farmers.
Five reflections on Asia’s drug policies for the 2020s
Drugs are likely to play a bigger role in Asia, here’s why and what it means for the region’s drug policies.
Francisco Gutierrez on the war on drugs and the politicisation of evidence
Francisco Gutierrez from Universidad Nacional de Colombia, talks about how issues related to drugs and conflict, and how best to tackle illicit economies, are not only about policy, but also about politics.
Orzala Nemat on illicit drug economies in Afghanistan
Orzala Nemat, Director of the Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit, on building a new evidence base by talking to people in the borderlands of conflict and drug-affected states.
Literature review on illegal drugs in Latin America
A summary of academic literature on illegal drugs in Latin America published in 2018.
States, markets and violence in drug-affected borderlands
Experts share insights from fieldwork in the drug-affected borderlands of Afghanistan, Colombia and Myanmar at the SOAS Development Studies Seminar.
Colombia´s anti-drugs policies: evidence versus ideology
Crop substitution is being underfunded and coercion prioritised. Christian Aid’s Thomas Mortensen explains why.
There is still time to make Colombia’s illicit crop substitution programme work
This blog shares the key results of a survey with coca farmers in two of Colombia’s highest coca producing regions.
Conflictos cocaleros en Colombia
Cuatro artículos publicados en la revista Análisis Político sobre conflictos cocaleros en Colombia.
A curious case of unusual economic transformation
Explaining and challenging dominant narratives around illicit crops and development, using the curious case of Myanmar.
Peace, illicit drugs and the SDGs: A development gap
New counter-narcotic and peacebuilding strategies are needed to meet SDG16.
Illicit drugs and peace: why the borderlands matter
The borderlands lie at the country margins, but are central to processes that generate war and peace.
Is forced eradication of coca crops effective?
This brief explores the effectiveness of forced eradication policies in Colombia.
Organised crime and drug markets: recent contributions from Latin America academia
A summary of academic research from Latin America published in 2018 on public policies to address organised crime related to drug trafficking.