Food supply in the Arctic: Municipal authorities’ opinion

Abstract

The UN experts rightly point out that “inequality between different regions of a particular country is often more significant than inequality between countries”. The article considers the issues of food provision for the hard-to-reach areas of the Yakut Arctic based on the survey of the municipal authorities in the Arctic regions of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) on the current situation and problems of food supply. In general, the issues of ‘northern delivery’ are most acute for the hard-to-reach territories of Russia. The article is based on the results of the expert survey - representatives of the municipal authorities in 10 out of 13 Arctic regions of Yakutia. According to the empirical data, in most settlements and villages of the Arctic regions of Yakutia, there are such problems as a shortage and a narrow list of provided products, their low quality and high prices, lack of food control, insufficient number of vegetable stores and warehouses. Due to the high food prices, the most vulnerable groups are poor citizens, among whom families with children prevail. Despite the average indicators of the economic access of food, the transport access to food in the Arctic regions of Yakutia is critically low. In these areas, the cost of a food basket in the consumer basket, on average for a five-year period, turned out to be significantly higher than the average for the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). The food market of the Yakut Arctic is very specific, primarily due to the peripheral geographic location and the underdevelopment of the transport infrastructure. Significant volumes of food deliveries with the participation of the regional budget can only affect the minimum prices of products. The situation is aggravated by the lack of a unified legal framework and organizational structure for hard-to-reach territories; therefore, ensuring their food security requires additional research and special management decisions.