Svalbard Global Seed Vault: Acknowledged by the godfather of the green revolution

Svalbard Global Seed Vault: - As years go by farmers everywhere will bless the visionaries of Svalbard for their invaluable contributions to food for all and for ever, says Dr. M. S. Swaminathan, named as one of the 20 Most Influential Asians of the 20th Century by TIME Magazine. 

A participant and speaker at the First Anniversary Celebration of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, Dr. M. S. Swaminathan, named as one of the 20 Most Influential Asians of the 20th Century  by TIME Magazine and widely known as the godfather of the green revolution, gave the following statement after his visit to the Seed Vault: In my Presidential Address at the XV International Congress of Genetics held in 1983, I pleaded for a conservation continuum, ranging from in situ, on-farm conservation in famers’ fields to a Global gene sanctuary under permafrost conditions.  Standing in the Global Seed Vault at Svalbard, I saw that a dream has become a reality, thanks to the vision of agricultural leaders like you and the generosity of the government and people of Norway. As years go by farmers everywhere will bless the visionaries of Svalbard for their invaluable contributions to food for all and for ever.

Svalbard Global Seed Vault: Minister of Agriculture and Food Lars Peder Brekk and Dr. M. S. Swaminathan. Photo: Kjell Werner, ANB

Lars Peder Brekk, the Minister of Agriculture and Food underlines the importance of the Seed Vault: - The Ministry is proud to adminstrate the Seed Vault on behalf of the Norwegian Government.  The  Seed Vault  recieves seed duplicates for security storage from all over the world. It is built to withstand attacks as well as any of the predicted changes that may result from global warming. Every reasonable effort has been made to safeguard these seeds. - I also believe that the Seed Vault should and can continue to inspire us all about the vital importance of crop diversity, says Brekk.

More than four hundred thousand seeds samples have been deposited in Svalbard Global Seed Vault during its first years of operation. A great part of the crop diversity, the seeds from our most important food crops has by this found a safe harbour inside the frozen mountains. The depositors are gene banks from all regions of the world. So far, seeds from more than 3200 species, and of these more than 70 000 varieties of rice, and more than 60 000 varieties of wheat have been packed in aluminium bags, placed in sealed boxes and shipped to Svalbard. These seeds may be retrieved from its frozen hibernation inside the frozen mountains of Svalbard and be sent back to their original locations if all the seeds there get lost.

• Find updated information on the seeds stored in the seed vault at NordGen

Svalbard Global Seed Vault: - As years go by farmers everywhere will bless the visionaries of Svalbard for their invaluable contributions to food for all and for ever, says Dr. M. S. Swaminathan, named as one of the 20 Most Influential Asians of the 20th Century by TIME Magazine.