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Group of indigenous farmers hold "NO MINING" and "PROTECT OUR LAND" signs in a verdant coffee plantation.

Group of indigenous farmers hold "NO MINING" and "PROTECT OUR LAND" signs in a verdant coffee plantation.

The article explains how cacao farmers in Bolivia successfully resisted the expansion of gold mining in their region. Through protests and cooperation, local communities pushed for laws banning mining in Palos Blancos and Alto Beni. Their motivation was to protect the environment, their organic cacao production, and their income, since mining causes pollution (especially mercury contamination) and destroys ecosystems. Despite rising gold prices increasing mining pressure, the farmers’ sustainable agroforestry model and international cacao exports provide a stable alternative. However, the article also shows that in other regions, people still depend on mining for income, making the conflict complex. Mehr sehen