Two Newcomers Join Svalbard Global Seed Vault for Final Opening of 2022
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault is set to accept new seed shipments from 12 genebanks around the world this week, adding two countries to its family of depositors in the process: Iraq and Uruguay.
Spain and Lithuania depositing seeds for first time
Two genebanks joined the growing number of depositors to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault this week and varieties of rice bean, lablab and yard-long bean from an Indigenous community were safely backed up for the first time.
Svalbard Global Seed Vault – the first goal of Michael Haddads walk for Climate Resilience and Food Security
7 June 2022 – United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Regional Goodwill Ambassador, Michael Haddad completed his Arctic Walk for Climate Resilience and Food Security, delivering a “package of hope,” comprising seed samples from twelve Arab countries and a book by Pope Francis to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault.
Seeds of 150 New Species Safeguarded in the Seed Vault
Around 150 species are deposited for the first time in the Seed Vault. Most of these are deposited by the Australian Pastures Genebank, which sent seeds from about 100 new species of forage crops, and almost 50 new species from the German gene bank, the Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research .
Nanofilm will safeguard identity of the more than 1 mill seed samples in the Seed Vault
For the first time film strips that hold information on seed identity and other valuable information will be attached to the seed boxes. This will ensure that valuable information is not lost even if data systems with the information are disrupted or destroyed. The first film strips were attached to seed boxes in the Seed Vault by Minister of Agriculture and Food Sandra Borch on her visit to the seed deposits in 14th February 2022.
Dates for Seed Deposits in 2022
The Seed Vault will be opened for seed deposits on the following dates in 2022:
Week 7 (14.-18. February)
Week 23 (6.-10. June)
Week 43 (24.-27. October)