Impacto dos projectos de desenvolvimento rural nas redes sociais: caso do Projecto Licuáti (Djavula - 1997/2002)

Abstract

The present research project essentially analyzes the situation of social networks in a community where a rural development project was (and is) underway. For our methodical reflection we had as a working hypothesis the following: - Knowledge of the local culture (behaviors, attitudes and practices) of social actors is an important factor in the definition of development strategies and practices. That said, the mobilization of the community with the sole purpose of disseminating the contents of the projects and their exogenous conception, has an impact on their cultural ethos and influences the relationships between the intervening social actors. For the analysis of concrete situations, we used as indicators or variables, among others, the following: Sex, age, marital status, profession, occupation, ecology, geographical mobility and extension of the domestic group. Several procedures were used to carry out the present work. Through the bibliographic review of works that address issues of social interaction, including the concepts of family, domestic group and social networks, we look for clues for reflection and valid theoretical instruments for the study. We reviewed the development theory including the concept of participation. We found that fixing and prioritizing only the point of contact between the owners of the project and the community in the régulo is a very comfortable and simple way of looking at things. This way of acting excludes vulnerable or more discriminated groups in the community, such as the “unnatural” and women, from the benefits of the project. We believe that not only should the traditional forms of community management be used and valued, but that the subject of any type of project be in the community.