NEW INSTITUTIONAL ECONOMICS AND AGRIBUSINESS: CONTRIBUTIONS TO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IN MAPUTO PROVINCE, MOZAMBIQUE

Abstract

Agribusiness is a key driver of economic growth, food security, and job creation in developing countries. In Mozambique, despite significant agricultural potential, institutional constraints persist regarding land use and tenure rights, high transaction costs, poor coordination among economic agents, and a lack of financing mechanisms for smallholder farmers. Against this backdrop, this article analyzes the contribution of New Institutional Economics (NIE) to agribusiness development in Maputo Province. The study employed a qualitative, applied research approach, utilizing bibliographic and documentary research alongside the case study method. The analysis was grounded in the principles of Transaction Cost Economics, Property Rights, and Governance Structures. The results demonstrate that efficient institutions, consistent formal and informal rules, legal certainty, and coordination mechanisms reduce transaction costs, stimulate investment, and strengthen the competitiveness of agri-food supply chains. The study concludes that NIE provides a relevant theoretical framework for understanding the institutional challenges affecting agribusiness development in Mozambique, thereby contributing to the formulation of public policies aimed at sustainable rural development.