Colombia’s fertile southern state of Nariño has been oppressed by armed conflict and drug trafficking for more than 20 years. Buoyed by the government’s recent security efforts, development projects jointly funded by Starbucks and a local exporter are helping to raise incomes, improve the livelihood of coffee farmers, and bring stability back to the region. In the past few years a series of programs designed to improve the quality of life for the area's 30, 000 coffee growers is changing the balance in the struggle to stabilize the region and decrease illegal drug production.