Over the past two decades, UNODC has supported hundreds of thousands of families in finding dignified incomes away from illicit crops. In 2024, such support reached 100,000 families. But if we are to push back meaningfully against the scale of illicit cultivation today, alternative development projects need to be scaled up massively. The level of funding available for this work is still too limited to support the estimated 800,000 families involved in illicit crops cultivation.
It is important to stress the significant achievements made in Thailand, a country with which UNODC has strengthened the exchange of expertise. United Nations data showed that 17,920 hectares of opium poppy were reported for the 1965–1966 period. According to the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) survey data for the 2021–2022 period, the area in which illicit crops are cultivated decreased to 17 hectares.
In Colombia, projects have expanded and do not only focus on agricultural (coffee and cocoa) or fishing activities but also cover many other types of livelihoods that generate income, such as those related to ecotourism, crafts, textiles and services related to environmental protection.
Alternative development has been a fundamental tool in peace-building efforts in Colombia, breaking the cycle of poverty, underdevelopment and violence. It has created a more stable environment by addressing the socio-economic factors that have affected the most vulnerable populations, such as rural and indigenous communities, in conflict-ridden regions. Today, alternative development activities continue to play a significant role in supporting the resolute national commitment to achieving lasting peace in Colombia.
UNODC has been assisting farming communities in Myanmar and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic in the cultivation of coffee and other crops for over a decade. Beyond switching crops, these sustainable development efforts involve support for entrepreneurship, civil society engagement, environmental preservation and gender equality.
UNODC is part of the “One UN” response in Afghanistan and works closely with other United Nations agencies through the United Nations Strategic Framework for Afghanistan for 2023–2025 to develop a path forward to support the immense humanitarian needs of the country, while protecting the health, livelihoods and security of affected communities.
In this challenging context, UNODC continues to encourage Member States to implement balanced supply-side drug control policies with alternative and sustainable development interventions to ensure that local communities receive competitive incomes and access to profitable legal markets.
