Collateral damage: The impact of forced eradication of illicit crops on human capital
Daniela Horta-Sáenz, Anderson Tami-Patino
The role of eradication policies in decreasing drug trade, insecurity, and ultimately fostering development remains largely debated. This paper examines the unintended consequences of aerial fumigation of coca on human capital accumulation and its medium-term socioeconomic impacts in Colombia. Employing a spatial regression discontinuity design and utilizing newly digitized data on the exact location subject of aerial spraying, we find that eradication increases school dropout and failure rates in the short term. A key mechanism of these impacts is the negative income shock experienced by households. Furthermore, we document that even after the ban on aerial spraying in 2015, villages exposed to aerial eradication exhibit worse socioeconomic outcomes, including lower schooling, higher child labor, increased early marriage, and deteriorating living conditions.
Event: World Bank Land Conference 2024 - Washington
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