Elena Hernández moved to the coca-growing region of Guaviare during the boom of the 1990s, lured by better pay.

“There was more money back then – you could see it everywhere,” she says. “I managed to save and buy a small house.”

But the coca industry also brought violence and insecurity. Armed groups fought for control, while the government tried to curb production through manual eradication, aerial fumigation and arrests.

These efforts cut off families’ incomes but failed to stem cultivation.

So when a nationwide substitution programme was introduced by the then government in 2017, Hernández was eager to sign up, joining around 100,000 families who were promised financial support in return for moving away from coca.

Each household was due to get 36m Colombian pesos ($11,000; £8,000), spread over a two-year period.

“The way it was presented to us, it seemed very promising for the development of our territory,” says Hernández.

The programme, known as the National Comprehensive Programme for the Substitution of Illicit Crops (PNIS), was born out of the 2016 peace deal between the government and Colombia’s largest guerrilla group, Farc.

In exchange for uprooting their coca plants, farmers would also get technical support, including from agronomists, and advice on soil management.

While substitution programmes had existed before, they remained limited in scale. PNIS was the most ambitious attempt to date – and at first appeared to be working.

In parts of southern Meta and Guaviare, coca fields were replaced by lemon trees, banana crops and small livestock farms. Many farmers, like Hernández, stayed away from coca.

Yet that does not mean they consider it a success.

“The government wasn’t very committed to us farmers. We were treated badly,” explains Hernández, pointing to problems that emerged early on.

Payments were delayed, and technical support frequently failed to materialise. Weak state presence in rural areas and poor coordination between agencies meant support often did not reach communities.

Momentum behind the programme weakened as political priorities shifted. Iván Duque, who became Colombia’s president in 2018, refocused the government’s approach on eradication and security strategies.

By the time current President Gustavo Petro took office in 2022, PNIS was behind schedule and struggling to reach communities.

But some farmers did report improvements. For Doralba Bejarano, from Puerto Rico in southern Meta, her situation improved as stalled support began to arrive.

“Before the programme we were terrified,” she says. “We had to hide the coca paste because the police, the military, would put us in jail.” Coca paste is a more concentrated form of coca used to produce cocaine, allowing growers to earn more than selling raw leaves.

Now, she says, she has peace of mind: “I go wherever I want. I have no reason to hide.”

She says many in her community are now receiving government support to promote and sell their non-coca crops and other foodstuffs.

Holidaymakers who are having beauty, hair and skincare glow-ups ahead of their summer trip are budgeting to spend more than £150 typically, a survey has found.

More than three-quarters (76%) of men said they would be treating themselves to a makeover before jetting off, with 82% of women doing the same, according to the research for buy now pay later provider Clearpay.

On average, the amount people are expecting to spend before going on holiday this summer is £158, including on products they can use at home as well as by using professional services, such as a pre-holiday dash to the hairdresser.

This rises to £206 for those heading to France or Italy and £237 for those travelling to the United States.

The research indicated men are particularly likely to treat themselves to a new haircut before heading off, with 25% doing so, compared with 22% of women.

Hair colouring, facials, and manicures or pedicures were also popular options for pre-holiday upgrades among people surveyed.

Some 44% of people said they were motivated to look as good as they can while they are on holiday, while 37% said feeling their best is a priority when they go away.

Nearly a fifth (18%) said they enjoy trying new beauty products and treatments specifically for their trip, according to the survey carried out by OnePoll of 2,000 people across the UK in July.

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Clearpay also analysed its own sales volumes data across the UK, comparing the 12 months to mid-June with the previous year, and said it found that sales of items such as teeth whitening (up by 37%), wax strips (a 23% increase), and body bronzer oil (a 21% uptick) had jumped.

The average price tag on a home coming on the market fell by £3,832 month-on-month in July, as the World Cup and the hot weather added to the usual summer distractions, according to a property website.

The 1.0% fall was bigger than the average July drop seen over the past decade, at 0.2%, Rightmove said.

Across Britain, the average asking price on a home in July is £372,359, the website added.

Rightmove said sellers are having to compete harder to attract distracted summer buyers in the current market, where supply is very high.

Although the number of available homes for sale is 1% below this time last year, it is still very close to a 12-year high for the time of year, Rightmove said.

Its report said that home movers are traditionally distracted by the summer holiday season, but this year the World Cup and the hot summer have also contributed to lower activity levels.

Rightmove said that May’s hot weather coincided with a temporary fall in buyer demand before rebounding, and similar dips in demand coincided with the hot weather in June and July.

Colleen Babcock, a property expert at Rightmove, said: “This month’s larger-than-normal price fall reflects the reality of a market where buyers have plenty of choice and sellers are having to work harder to stand out and attract them.

“They’re also competing with an unusual number of distractions which have been keeping the minds of some potential buyers occupied, namely the World Cup and the hot weather.

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“While these diversions are short term, they’re adding to what is already a distracting summer holiday period to create a challenging selling environment.”

Rightmove said the first six months of 2026 have presented challenges for home movers, with mortgage rates having jumped amid the conflict in the Middle East.

Highlighting the importance to sellers of getting their prices right from the outset, Rightmove said that nearly three-quarters (74%) of homes selling and completing this year did so without an asking price reduction.

Homes that do require an asking price reduction spend an average of 127 days on the market, compared with just 36 days for those that sell without a reduction, the website said.

Ms Babcock added: “Pricing remains critical, and it’s remarkable that nearly three-quarters of homes that have sold so far this year have done so without needing an asking price reduction.”

Matt Smith, a mortgage expert at Rightmove, said: “Mortgage rates are higher than many buyers would have hoped for at the start of the year, and the increases due to the war in Iran have understandably dented confidence for some.

“However, lenders remain keen to lend, and the mortgage market is still competitive.”

Chris Thomas, managing director at Wiglesworth & Co Estate Agents in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, said: “In the type of market we’re in currently, there are some clear rules that sellers need to follow to successfully find a buyer.

“Firstly, accuracy of pricing is everything and getting the price right the first time gives sellers the best chance.

“Secondly, sellers need to choose an agent who knows the local area and market extremely well and has a proven strong track record of giving honest and professional advice.

“There are still buyers active in the market and positive signs that mortgage rates could be easing.”

Nathan Emerson, CEO of property professionals’ body Propertymark, said: “While the year initially started with optimism in the housing market, global unease has in many ways dominated the agenda ever since.

“Rightly so, many consumers have been exercising greater caution with their spending to help ensure household budgets are better protected against unforeseen increases in expenditure.”