Colombia to spend $4.25 billion to buy land for poor farmers

Colombia's leftist government will spend $4.25 billion to buy some 1.5 million hectares (3.7 million acres) of land for poor farmers or displaced people, as part of a bid to increase agricultural output and boost peace efforts, an official said. The plan, which began last year and is set to end in 2026 when President Gustavo Petro leaves office, is part of Petro's ambitious efforts to end Colombia's six-decade conflict, which has killed more than 450,000 people. The conflict, which has involved rebels groups, the government, paramilitary organizations and crime gangs, originally began as a fight for land rights.