By Alina Bradford
published
Sometimes called the "doomsday vault," the Svalbard Global Seed Vault is seen as humanity's last hope against extinction after a world crisis. Though its mission is to keep the world's seeds safe, its creation wasn't meant as a way to reseed the world after a world-scale catastrophe.
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault was the brainchild of Cary Fowler, a scientist, conservationist and biodiversity advocate. Though there are more than 1,700 genebanks around the world that keep collections of seeds, they are all vulnerable to war, natural disasters, equipment malfunctions and other problems. In 2003, Fowler started to envision a backup storage facility where all of the world's seeds could be stored as safely as possible.
In 2008, Fowler's idea was realized and the Global Seed Vault was built, carved nearly 500 feet (152 meters) into the side of a mountain. In 2015, the Syrian war brought the first withdrawal from the seed vault. The seeds replaced those damaged in a gene bank (a facility that stores genetic material) near the war-torn Syrian city of Aleppo. In 2016, Fowler released a book on the vault called "Seeds on Ice: Svalbard and the Global Seed Vault (opens in new tab)."
Location
The Svalbard Global Seed Bank is located in Svalbard in a Norwegian archipelago (an area of ocean containing many islands) in the Arctic Ocean. Svalbard is found north of mainland Europe, halfway between continental Norway and the North Pole, according to the Norwegian Ministry of Agriculture and Food.
"None of these reasons for locating the facility in Norway would have sufficed had it not been for the fact that Svalbard offers almost perfect conditions: it is remote and thus safer than other possible locations and it is naturally cold. We wanted to have a facility that would stay naturally frozen without the aid of mechanical freezing equipment. Inside the mountain in the permafrost, we get steady below-freezing temperatures. We mechanically lower the temperature further to about minus 18 C [0 F], but this is much easier to accomplish when you start at -5 C [23 F] rather than above freezing."
The site is also located in an area that is high up to prevent flooding; it is geologically stable and the area has low humidity. It is also the farthest north that scheduled airline flights go, making it very remote. If the electricity goes out or the refrigeration fails, the seeds will also still stay cold due to their location.
Preservation
In addition to keeping the seeds at 0 F, the seeds are sealed in three-ply foil packages and then sealed inside boxes. These boxes are placed on shelves inside the vault where temperature and moisture levels are closely monitored. This process helps keep the metabolic activity in the seeds low, keeping them viable for long periods of time.
The vault's purpose
Though the vault is thought of as a "doomsday vault" that will be the source of seeds for the world after a worldwide disaster, that isn't really true.
"The seeds are not meant for distribution to farmers or gardeners," said Fowler. "Their value and utility lies in their being a genetic resource in plant breeding. So they are ultimately intended to serve plant breeders and other scientists who are involved in developing new crop varieties for farmers. Think of the seeds as a collection of traits, or even more broadly as a collection of options our crops will have in the future, options such as disease and pest resistance, drought and heat tolerance, better nutrition, etc."
The vault, and other vaults around the world, can be a way of preserving historical species of plants, as well. According to National Geographic (opens in new tab), an estimated 90 percent of historic fruit and vegetable varieties in the United States have disappeared. The seed vault can protect these seeds for future generations.
The Global Seed Vault is specifically meant, though, to be an aid to other banks.
"The seeds in the Seed Vault are duplicate copies of collections held in national and other seedbanks around the world," said Fowler. "If something happens to one of those facilities and if their seed samples are destroyed, then there is a backup copy in the Seed Vault. In the past the loss of a variety meant extinction for that variety and any unique trait it might have contained. Today, fires, floods, natural disaster, war, human error, accidents, funding cuts — none of these need cause the extinction of a crop variety. If that variety is in the Seed Vault, it's as safe as it can be."
Capacity
The Global Seed Vault can hold massive amounts of seeds. It is built to store a whopping 4.5 million varieties of crops, with each variety containing around 500 seeds. That equals a maximum of 2.5 billion seeds that can be stored in the Vault, according to Global Crop Diversity Trust, an international group that works in conjunction with the Norway government to manage the seeds in the vault. The vault currently holds more than 860,000 seed samples as of this writing. These seeds were donated by almost every country in the world, so there is a massive variety of seeds represented in the Global Seed Vault.
"Even though I have worked in this field for almost 40 years, I guess the biggest surprise was the breadth of diversity that came in from seedbanks around the world," said Fowler. "I expected a lot of rice and wheat (we have more than 150,000 distinct varieties of each). What I didn't expect to see were seeds of so many crops totally unfamiliar to me. When I print out a list of the crops represented in the Vault, it runs about 55 pages, single-spaced. Rice and wheat occupy two lines. I confess that I didn't know anything about 'cheesytoes,' or 'Asian pigeonwings' or 'zombie pea,' but we have all of these and much more."
Donations and seed retrieval
The Global Seed Vault has a few rules about donations and seed retrieval. First, they only take donations that are part of the Multilateral System, which is part of an international treaty on food resources, or seeds that have originated in the country of the depositor.
The Multilateral System is a provision of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, which governs how plant genetics are shared. The treaty ensures that countries can freely share the genetic information of 64 crops that account for 80 percent of all human consumption through seed banks, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Those who use the information and find new information must agree to share the information or pay a percentage of money they receive because of their research into a common fund.
The Global Seed Vault doesn't own or govern the seeds within it. Any seeds donated are still owned by those that donated. This means that only the people who donated can have access to those seeds or allow others to borrow them.
Additional resources
- National Geographic: Pictures — "Doomsday" Seed Vault Safeguards Our Food Supply (opens in new tab)
- World Conservation Union: Explanatory Guide to the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
- Crop Trust: Interactive Visit to the Global Seed Vault
Alina Bradford
Live Science Contributor
Alina Bradford is a contributing writer for Live Science. Over the past 16 years, Alina has covered everything from Ebola to androids while writing health, science and tech articles for major publications. She has multiple health, safety and lifesaving certifications from Oklahoma State University. Alina's goal in life is to try as many experiences as possible. To date, she has been a volunteer firefighter, a dispatcher, substitute teacher, artist, janitor, children's book author, pizza maker, event coordinator and much more.
FAQs
What are the facts about the Global Seed Vault? ›
The Seed Vault has the capacity to store 4.5 million varieties of crops. Each packet of seeds consists of an average of 500 seeds, so a maximum of 2.5 billion seeds may be stored in the Seed Vault. Currently, the Seed Vault holds more than 1.1 million seed varieties, originating from almost every country in the world.
What does the Global Seed Vault do? ›What is the Svalbard Global Seed Vault? The Svalbard Global Seed Vault provides insurance against both incremental and catastrophic loss of crop diversity held in traditional genebanks around the world. The Seed Vault offers long-term protection for one of the most important natural resources on earth.
How many global seed vaults are there in the world? ›SEED BANKS IN THE WORLD
There are some 1,500 seed banks around the world, including the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, located on the remote Norwegian island of Spitsbergen in the Svalbard archipelago, some 1,300 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle. It is considered the world's largest germplasm centre.
76 institutions with seeds from 223 different countries and territories have made deposits in the vault. The largest number of seeds come from India at 95 million.
Does the Seed Vault have security? ›The seed bank is 130 m (430 ft) inside a sandstone mountain on Spitsbergen Island, and employs robust security systems. The facility is managed by the Nordic Genetic Resource Center, though there are no permanent staff on-site.
When was the Seed Vault built? ›The Seed Vault was opened 26 February 2008 in the presence of the Prime Minister of Norway, Jens Stoltenberg, the President of the European Union, José Manuel Barroso, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, Jacques Diouf, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Wangari Maathai.
How long does a Seed Vault last? ›For folks looking to store seeds for survival, seed vaults can be stored for a minimum of five years or more. The containers are compact, space saving, and waterproof. Most importantly, the seeds stored in seed vaults have been harvested from plants grown in diverse conditions.
How is the Seed Vault powered? ›In addition, the Seed Vault is equipped with generators that provide electricity in the case of a power outage. The seed store facility consists of three halls, each with a base measuring about 9.5 x 27 meters.
Who started the Seed Vault? ›Endorsed by more than 100 countries, the Global Seed Vault was built by Norway in coordination with the Global Crop Diversity Trust.
Can we visit Global Seed Vault? ›The world's largest secure seed storage can be found in the permafrost close to Longyearbyen. The Global Seed Vault is not open for visitors, but you can join organized trips with guides that will take you close to the entrance.
Who pays for the Global Seed Vault? ›
The Government of Norway established and fully funded the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. The overall responsibility for the Seed Vault rests with the government, under the Norwegian Ministry of Agriculture and Food.
Who has access to the Global Seed Vault? ›The Vault receives seeds from voluntary depositors, who still own and control access to the seeds. The so-called 'black box' system entails that the depositor is the only one who can withdraw the seeds and open the boxes.
Does the U.S. have a Seed Vault? ›The Fort Collins seed vault was built by the federal government in 1953 — decades before the Svalbard Global Seed Vault opened in 2008 on the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen.
What is the oldest Seed Vault? ›The Vavilov Institute of Plant Industry was established in 1894 in St. Petersburg, Russia, and is the oldest seed bank in the world.
How big is the Seed Vault? ›What are the dimensions of the vault? The distance from the front door of the portal building to the back of the vault is approximately 145.9 metres (478.7 feet). The width of the each vault is approximately 9.5 to 10 metres (31.2 to 32.8 feet) and the height is 6 metres (19.7 feet).
Is the Seed Vault real? ›It's not coal, oil or precious minerals, but seeds. Millions of these tiny brown specks, from more than 930,000 varieties of food crops, are stored in the Global Seed Vault on Spitsbergen, part of Norway's Svalbard archipelago.
What is the biggest Seed Vault? ›Way up north, in the permafrost, 1300 kilometers beyond the Arctic Circle, is the world's largest secure seed storage, opened by the Norwegian Government in February 2008.
What are the conditions for a Seed Vault? ›VAULT CONDITIONS
So that the seeds are properly preserved, the vaults are kept at a constant temperature of -18 degrees Celsius and must have low humidity. Svalbard has natural permafrost, which means that even in the case of a power outage, the vault will stay cold and dry enough to keep the seeds frozen.
seed vault (plural seed vaults) A place used for storage of seeds as a source for planting in case seed reserves or biodiversity elsewhere are destroyed.
How much did the Global Seed Vault cost? ›In 1998, Norway spent $9 million to build the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in an abandoned coal mine, Diebel writes. The facility is 426 feet above sea level, according to Natasha Frost of Atlas Obscura, and is challenging to access on its far-flung, frosty island.
How cold are seed banks? ›
The seeds are typically kept at low humidity and in cold conditions - around -20°C. This helps to preserve the seeds, ensuring they can still grow when they are needed later. More than 1,000 seed banks exist around the world, varying in type, size and focus.
How long do seeds last for? ›All seeds will be viable for one to two years. After two or three years, germination rates will drop for many types of seeds and will eventually fall to zero. So, stocking up on seeds for an “emergency” isn't a good idea because they don't last forever.
Will 20 year old seeds grow? ›The truth is seeds don't expire. They lose viability if stored improperly. While most seed companies will tell you to replace seeds every 2-3 years, those seeds will keep for decades and will germinate when planted if kept in a cool, dark, and dry place.
Why was the Global Seed Vault created? ›In 2003, Fowler started to envision a backup storage facility where all of the world's seeds could be stored as safely as possible. In 2008, Fowler's idea was realized and the Global Seed Vault was built, carved nearly 500 feet (152 meters) into the side of a mountain.
How many seed vaults are there in the US? ›The same can be said about seeds. When agriculturalists discovered their irreplaceable value, they realized seeds needed to be protected. As a result, there are 20 gene banks in the U.S. alone that hold hundreds of thousands of modern, historical and wild relatives of crops.
How deep is the Seed Vault? ›To preserve its contents, the Arctic vault is protected by almost 400 feet of rock at its deepest point. Even virtually, its floor-to-ceiling shelves with the space for thousands of seed boxes are an impressive sight to behold.
What is the biggest Seed Vault in the world? ›Way up north, in the permafrost, 1300 kilometers beyond the Arctic Circle, is the world's largest secure seed storage, opened by the Norwegian Government in February 2008.
What is the history of Svalbard Global Seed Vault? ›The Svalbard vault was opened in 2008, effectively as a backup storage unit for all those hundreds of thousands of varieties. The idea was conceived in the 1980s by Cary Fowler, a former executive director of the Crop Trust, but only started to become reality after an International Seed Treaty negotiated by the U.N.
Who funds the Global Seed Vault? ›The Government of Norway established and fully funded the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. The overall responsibility for the Seed Vault rests with the government, under the Norwegian Ministry of Agriculture and Food.
Does the US have a Seed Vault? ›The Fort Collins seed vault was built by the federal government in 1953 — decades before the Svalbard Global Seed Vault opened in 2008 on the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen.
Do people work in Svalbard Seed Vault? ›
There are no permanent staff on site at the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. NordGen, who has its head office in Alnarp, Sweden, sends staff there when the Seed Vault is opened for deposits. Statsbygg, which has an office in Longyearbyen, is responsible for servicing and for the continuous surveillance of the Seed Vault.
Can we visit global seed vault? ›The world's largest secure seed storage can be found in the permafrost close to Longyearbyen. The Global Seed Vault is not open for visitors, but you can join organized trips with guides that will take you close to the entrance.
How much did the global seed vault cost? ›In 1998, Norway spent $9 million to build the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in an abandoned coal mine, Diebel writes. The facility is 426 feet above sea level, according to Natasha Frost of Atlas Obscura, and is challenging to access on its far-flung, frosty island.