Desenvolvimento como liberdade : um estudo sobre o processo de construção e reconstrução das liberdades individuais dos agricultores da Associação Armando Emílio Guebuza, na cidade de Maputo

Abstract

This paper is entitled "Development as Freedom," a Study on the Process of Construction and Reconstruction of Individual Freedoms among Farmers of the Armando Emílio Guebuza Association in Maputo City. This study was conducted in Maputo City with the aim of understanding the process of construction and reconstruction of individual freedoms among members of the Armando Emílio Guebuza Association. This research was guided by Amartya Sen's Development Theory (1999), which states that true freedom is achieved when individuals have the capacity to truly live their choices, and Giddens's Structuration Theory (1984), which provides a balanced view of social determination and human freedom, emphasizing that society is both the means and the outcome. The methodological approach adopted was qualitative, with semi-structured interviews and focus group interviews being used as data collection techniques, with a sample of 10 farmers. Even in the face of difficulties, farmers exercise their freedoms through practices such as crop diversification, strengthening support networks, setting individual prices, and inclusive participation in association decisions. These practices not only reflect the resilience of the farmers of the Armando Emílio Guebuza Association but also reveal the capacity for agency and social innovation that emerges even in complex contexts regarding the exercise of their freedoms. Thus, the farmers' association, as a collective space, has proven to be both an instrument for strengthening the capacities of its members and a place where internal tensions and inequalities can limit the full exercise of these freedoms. They have realized that inclusive participation, transparency in management, and equitable access to resources are essential elements for ensuring an environment conducive to development