From the beginning of the present century until two decades ago, coffee regularly ranked first in the value of Colombian exports. The country’s economy depended upon this crop and this situation had far-reaching effects on society. In the 1980s, however, the importance of coffee was replaced by that of another crop, cocaine, and a controversy arose as to whether or not this new crop is now playing the same role in Colombia’s social and economic transformations as that which coffee played in the past.
The author explores what the two crops have meant for the expansion of the country’s agricultural frontier. She therefore addresses the difference between the two as to allocation of natural resources, impact upon the environment and configuration of the social patterns involved.
CICYT, PGC (PS94-0054).
Peer reviewed