Un articolo su Sapiens [EN] ci fa conoscere l’utilizzo tradizionale della pianta della coca, usata da secoli nell’area andina sia in cucina che nella medicina tradizionale, e di come i Governi locali stiano agendo per controllare la coltivazione di questa pianta dalla doppia vita.

Throughout the Andean countries, coca has been cultivated and consumed for thousands of years as a medicine, an element in religious rituals, and an energy booster for laborers. It is traditionally chewed with an alkaline ingredient, similar to tobacco chewing in the Americas and betel chewing in parts of Asia. “It’s good for the altitude,” my hiking guide told me in Spanish as we trekked up the 5,822-meter El Misti volcano.

[…]

In 2006, Bolivia abandoned the U.S.-backed model of militarized eradication in favor of a community-based social control program that allows farmers to grow coca in limited amounts. The initiative prioritizes the welfare of coca-growing communities by involving farmers in decision-making and granting them formal property rights. Local farmer unions monitor compliance, and farmers are motivated to keep production low so prices stay high. Thus, enforcement is not associated with violence or human rights abuses.

 

“Coca Farmers” by Master Bob is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0