In Bolivia coca leaves are produced traditionally in the Yungas region of the Department of La Paz. After elimination of all vegetation the small coca shrubs are planted in narrow rows (terraces). For maximizing yields in the short term many farmers began using chemical fertilizer and pesticides during the last decades. As a consequence of this soil depletion and erosion, as well as increasing pressure of pests and diseases, are the main problems today. Furthermore due to the loss of fertile soils, coca cultivation has been extended to other regions where coca growing is illegal.
In 2007 ECOTOP started with a small group of farmers experimenting with coca production in agroforestry systems. From 2010 to 2012 a first programme on organic coca production in agroforestry systems was launched by ECOTOP with financial support from the European Union, in order to reduce soil depletion and the use of fertilizer and pesticides and to diversify the monoculture of coca.
More than 230 coca farmer families have achieved the organic certification by IMO Control LA of their fields in 2012.
