Colombia’s avocado boom shows the hidden costs of ‘green gold’
Al Jazeera
Hass avocados have replaced coffee crops in many rural economies in Colombia, but environmental scientists warn the move has consequences for local wildlife.
Sonson, Colombia – Coffee farming was the economic lifeblood of Riobardo Zapata’s family for generations until the industry seemed to dissolve around him. Extreme weather that scientists attribute to climate change – including extended droughts and heavy rains – began to ravage harvests over the past decade, jeopardising the fate of the little bean that helped put Colombia on the map and the livelihoods of the farmers who cultivate it.
Unstable market prices, meanwhile, left 56-year-old Zapata subsisting during the best of crop seasons and sinking into debt during the worst.
“I’d have to be taking money out from banks all the time. I couldn’t afford food or lots of basic necessities,” Zapata told Al Jazeera.
