Journey of seeds: From farms to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault
25/02/2025
Georgia, Malawi and Zimbabwe deposit over 2000 accessions.
Longyearbyen (Svalbard Islands), Norway, 25 February 2025 — The Svalbard Global Seed Vault marked its 17th anniversary today by opening its doors to receive nearly 14 000 deposits of seeds from around the world, including over 2 000 seed samples from projects supported by the International Treaty’s Benefit-sharing Fund in Georgia, Malawi and Zimbabwe.
“We are very pleased to see the results of the projects support by the Benefit-sharing Fund making the journey from farms in Georgia, Malawi and Zimbabwe to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault where they will be safeguarded for the future,” said Kent Nnadozie, Secretary of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. “The seeds deposited today represent more than just genetic resources; they embody the dedication of farmers, researchers, and conservationists working to secure the future of our food. The International Treaty is proud to support these efforts, ensuring that vital crop diversity is safeguarded and remains accessible for future generations.”
International collaboration in action
Georgia's seed deposit into the Svalbard Global Seed Vault was made possible through the Benefit-sharing Fund (BSF) of the International Treaty, while Malawi and Zimbabwe's deposits have also been supported by the BOLD project, led by the Crop Trust with funding from the Government of Norway. This collaborative effort connects local seed stewardship with global initiatives.
Georgia's Scientific-Research Center of Agriculture made its first-ever deposit into the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, contributing 210 crucial crop varieties, collected mostly in the places where they originated. The Zimbabwe Community Technology Development Trust safeguarded 1 100 accessions within 11 community seed banks, while the Malawi Plant Genetic Resources Centre deposited over 800 accessions representing 19 crop species.
These seed deposits, along with contributions from other countries, expand the materials of the world's most secure seed vault, which already safeguards 1.3 million seed samples, representing more than 6 000 plant species that are crucial for global food security.
Conserving crop diversity
While humans have historically cultivated over 6 000 food plants, today's global food system depends on fewer than 200 species. This shrinking diversity comes at a time when climate change and environmental challenges make conserving our crop varieties more critical than ever.
‘‘The Tenth Session of the Treaty’s Governing Body renewed its invitation to governments to avail of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault as part of their national strategies to secure their important seed collections,” Alwin Kopse, Chair of the Eleventh Session of the International Treaty’s Governing Body pointed out. “It is encouraging to see that Contracting Parties and their gene banks utilize this infrastructure, which supports the multilateral endeavor of safeguarding the world’s crop treasure,’ ’he added.
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault provides safekeeping of the seeds of vital crop varieties, including maize, rice, millet and beans, and usually only opens its doors to receive new deposits two times a year, usually in February and October.
Located 1 000 kilometers from the North Pole, the Svalbard Global Seed Vault uses natural permafrost and advanced cooling technology, maintaining a constant minus 18°C to ensure long-term seed viability.
Building on the international legal framework of the International Treaty, the Government of Norway took the pioneering step of opening the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in 2008, creating a secure facility dedicated to conserving the world's crop diversity.
Local farmers, global impact
The journey of the seeds begins in the fields, where local farmers maintain traditional varieties as living heritage. BSF projects encourage farmers to play an active role in seed conservation by collecting and documenting traditional varieties, enriching the collections of community seedbanks, and national and regional genebanks. Success relies on combining this on-farm management with seedbank storage.
“This deposit is a testament to the power of international cooperation in protecting the foundation of our food systems, which the International Treaty provides. By linking local conservation efforts with the global seed bank in Svalbard, we strengthen our collective resilience to climate change and other threats to agriculture and food production,” Secretary Nnadozie concluded.
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About the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, which oversees the Multilateral System for Access and Benefit-sharing of plant genetic resources, provides the international legal framework needed for the establishment of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault by Government of Norway.
About the Svalbard Global Seed Vault
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault is operated by the Nordic Genetic Resource Center (NordGen) in cooperation with the Norwegian Ministry of Agriculture and Food and the Crop Trust.
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