The Svalbard Global Seed Vault, a ‘doomsday’ vault storing food crop seeds from around the world, has expanded with over 14,000 new samples. This significant addition will help safeguard against potential disasters such as nuclear war or global warming.
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault, a ‘doomsday’ vault storing food crop seeds from around the world, is set to receive over 14,000 new samples.
This significant addition will be deposited in the vault’s man-made caves on the remote Norwegian Arctic island of Svalbard.
Located on the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen, the 'Svalbard Global Seed Vault' is a secure seed bank designed to protect crop diversity from loss due to natural disasters, wars, and climate change.
The vault stores over 930,000 seed samples from around the world, representing more than 4,500 plant species.
The seeds are stored in sealed packages at -18°C, ensuring their viability for up to 200 years.
The 'Svalbard Vault' is not a backup for existing genebanks but rather a safeguard against global catastrophes.
A Backup for the World’s Gene Banks
Launched in 2008, the Svalbard Global Seed Vault serves as a backup for the world’s gene banks. These institutions store the genetic code for thousands of plant species, safeguarding against potential disasters such as nuclear war or global warming. The vault is protected by permafrost and has received samples from across the globe.
Rebuilding Damaged Collections
Between 2015 and 2019, the Svalbard Global Seed Vault played a leading role in rebuilding seed collections damaged during the war in Syria. This effort highlights the importance of preserving biodiversity and protecting genetic resources.
New Contributions from Around the World
The new samples include a selection of 15 species from Sudan, consisting of various varieties of sorghum. This crop is significant for both food security and cultural heritage in Sudan. The director of Sudan’s Agricultural Plant Genetic Resources Conservation and Research Centre noted that these seeds represent ‘hope’ for the country.
Located in northeastern Africa, Sudan is a vast and diverse country with a rich history dating back to ancient civilizations.
The Nile River flows through the country, supporting agriculture and trade.
Sudan has a population of over 43 million people, with Arabic and English serving as official languages.
The capital city is Khartoum, which is also home to the presidential palace and other government institutions.
Sudan's economy relies heavily on oil exports, but the country faces significant challenges related to poverty, conflict, and climate change.
Other contributions include Nordic tree species from Sweden and rice from Thailand. These additions bring the total number of new samples to 14,022, which will be deposited at 1430 GMT.
Preserving Biodiversity and Cultural Heritage
The Executive Director of the Crop Trust, Stefan Schmitz, emphasized that these seeds represent not just biodiversity but also the knowledge, culture, and resilience of the communities that steward them. This recognition highlights the importance of preserving genetic resources for future generations.
The Crop Trust is an international organization that works to preserve and conserve crop diversity.
Its primary goal is to protect the genetic material of crops, which are essential for food security and sustainable agriculture.
The trust operates a global seed bank in Norway, where over 930,000 seed samples from more than 3,500 crop species are stored.
This collection serves as a safeguard against crop failures and provides a resource for plant breeding programs.
By preserving crop diversity, the Crop Trust supports agricultural resilience and adaptation to climate change.
