Ethno-economic transformation of reindeer husbandry in the Irkutsk region

Abstract

Abstract. The purpose of the study is the analysis of ethno-economic problems and consequences of transformations of the mountain-taiga reindeer husbandry in Tofalaria. Research methods. To study the reindeer husbandry of the Tofs, an indigenous people of Siberia, a combination of ethno-economic and ecological-geographical methods, as well as elements of a systematic approach, were used, on the basis of which data on the state of reindeer husbandry as a component of the traditional economy were interpreted. Results. The role of transformational processes in the formation of the crisis of reindeer breeding, the decrease in the number of deer, and the change in the nature of land use has been established. Ethno-economic transformations have led to the loss of reindeer breeding skills and micro-areal development of reindeer pastures. It was revealed that the development of rural areas of Tofalaria requires a revision of the traditional ethno-economic complex. Taiga small-scale reindeer husbandry performs the transport function of providing hunting, it does not belong to profitable industries, there are no methods to calculate its effectiveness in objective terms. It is emphasized that the main guidelines for assessing reindeer breeding are the preservation of the deer population and the age and sex structure of the herd, as well as its symbolic significance for the ethnic culture of the Tofs. The request of the ethnosociety for the development of reindeer husbandry expresses both the needs of the traditional economy and the ethnocultural aspects of ethnicity. These conclusions contribute to expanding the understanding of the complex nature of traditional nature management systems and their sustainability. The practical significance of the results lies in the possibility of adjusting regional programs to support indigenous peoples, taking them into account. Scientific novelty. It has been established that in the crisis state of reindeer husbandry, the consequences of unfinished transformation processes and the contradictions caused by them in the natural and economic system of traditional nature management are still affecting. Inconsistency in management based on planned indicators and ignoring traditional experience laid the foundation for a negative scenario for the development of reindeer husbandry long before the post-Soviet transformations.