After 15- Years: Aiming to Secure Seeds Representing Every Important Crop Variety Available in the World Today
In February 2023, it will be 15 years since the Svalbard Global Seed Vault was opened. Over the last 15 years the Svalbard Global Seed Vault has secured almost 1,2 million seed samples of more than 5000 plant species, but there are many around the world that are not still secure.
On the next deposit, by the end of February 2023 seeds from almost 20 institutions are expected. During the anniversary year we will work to encourage new deposits of seeds This is especially important in this increasingly volatile global climate, when farmers need new seeds adapted to climate, and food security is at stake.
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault houses – the largest biodiversity collection in the world. Its importance has increased in urgency in the face of a rapidly changing climate, unprecedented biodiversity loss, and global conflict. All of these put the foundation of our food supply – the world’s seeds – at greater risk.
