The project EALLU: Reindeer Herding Youth, Adaptation to Climate Change and Food Culture, which has been endorsed by the Arctic Council Sustainable Development Working Group, hosted an Arctic Indigenous Cuisine Expo at the ‘Arctic Territory of Dialogue´ International Forum.
Traditional food of Eveny, Evenki, Saami and the Nenets was offered to the participants of the Arctic International Forum and information about the EALLU project was distributed. The special lunch was also surved to Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Deputy Head of the Military-Industrial Commission, Special Envoy of the President Dmitry Rogozin and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway Børge Brende. The menu included boiled reindeer tongue, smoked reindeer heart, smoked omul, eight different kinds of smoked, dried and salted reindeer meat and other delicacies.
Reindeer herders also told Rogozin about using the opportunities of the Northern Sea Route to get their prodcuts to a wider market. "We want to offer reindeer products for wide access," said one of the reindeer herders. "These are environmentally friendly products, so we are interested in the project on the use of the Northern Sea Route."
Reindeer herders complained that despite the fact that their main production and resources are concentrated in the tundra zone, there are certain difficulties with delivery of their products, even within Russia. Each region solves the problem in its own way. The most successful experience is in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District, which has exported abroad. Rogozin and reindeer herders also talked about the problem of climate change.
According to representatives of indigenous peoples, now it has become a very tangible possibility.