“Coca got us here and now it's our weakness:” Fusarium oxysporum and the political ecology of a drug war policy alternative in Bolivia

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• 作者：Zoe Pearson ; ^{zoepearson@gmail.com" class="auth_mail" title="E-mail the corresponding author}
• 关键词：Agroecology ; Bolivia ; Coca ; Drug policy reform ; Fusarium oxysporum ; Social control
• 刊名：International Journal of Drug Policy
• 出版年：2016
• 出版时间：July 2016
• 年：2016
• 卷：33
• 期：Complete
• 页码：88-95
• 全文大小：363 K

文摘

A strain of Fusarium oxysporum fungus is killing coca plants in the Chapare coca growing region of Bolivia. Coca farmers are already constrained in the amount of coca they can grow under the government's community-based coca control approach, “social control.” Coca leaf is the main ingredient in cocaine, but it is also a traditional medicine and food, is economically vital to household incomes, and is a political symbol of the current government administration. Bolivia's approach to coca control, now administered without any United States military intervention, is an innovative example of experimentation with drug policy reform.

Methods

This paper is based on ethnographic research including semi-structured interviews and observation.

Results

Coca growers are worried about the dire economic, social, and political consequences of the fungus’ appearance and spread since summer 2013. They have two explanations for its origins: First, that it was sent by the United States government, which in the past was developing a strain of F. oxysporum for use in the drug war; Second, and the explanation of scientists, is that the outbreak is caused by the overuse of agrochemicals and other intensive agricultural practices.

Conclusion

More than a matter of agroecology, the practices identified in the second explanation must be understood in terms of the persistence of the international drug prohibition regime. Bolivia's social control approach is a successful alternative to violent eradication measures, however the country is constrained to uphold the fundamental principles of supply-side control in order to be a respected partner in global drug control. The supply-side logics restricting social control make intensive agriculture practices attractive, but may have contributed to the fungus’ proliferation and its continued spread. The fungus draws attention to the challenges of policy reform, new collateral damages of drug control, and role environmental factors can play in drug control politics.