Svalbard Global Seed Vault: Genetic resources in storage

On 26 February the eyes of the world was directed towards a mountain cavern on Svalbard. The opening of Svalbard Global Seed Vault - is an important contribution from Norway towards securing the world’s genetic diversity. The permafrost close to the North Pole makes this an ideal secure depository for seeds from gene banks all over the world.

There is little doubt that Norway is taking on considerable international responsibility in order to meet the challenges the world is facing due to climate changes. In early November 2007 we took over leadership responsibility for the Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe (MCPFE). This provides us with a unique possibility to further move forestry policy all over Europe in a more climate-friendly direction. This concerns 25 percent of the world’s forest resources. During the UN climate conference on Bali in December Norway presented its package of NOK 3 billion annually for climate measures in developing countries - particularly the protection of rainforests.

This is protection of genetic diversity for wild organisms. At the end of February cultivated plants will be centre stage when we open the doors of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault to the world.

The seed collections in the approximately 1400 gene banks around the world comprise irreplaceable genetic resources that are important to future agriculture and food production. However, storing genetic resources in only one place involves risk. This is the reason Norway has constructed a unique storage facility far inside a mountainside on Svalbard to provide space for seeds from food and cultivated plants from all over the world.

The international network of gene banks requires a safe depository for a copy of their own seed collections. Many of the world’s most important collections are also located in areas that may be politically and climatically unstable. Both acts of war and natural disasters can - in addition to accidents and lack of expertise - destroy the collections. We have already seen several examples of this.

Storage in permafrost
By establishing the Svalbard Global Seed Vault at a cost of approximately NOK 50 million, Norway has contributed to establishing the ultimate safety net for genetic plant resources. 130 metres inside the permafrost - not far outside Longyearbyen - lie three caverns with a total floor area of 1000 m2. They can hold almost 5 million seed packages. The natural temperature of minus 3-4 degrees centigrade the year round will be brought down to minus 18 by cooling systems.

The new seed vault is important in order to ensure that the genetic diversity of the world’s cultivated plants is maintained. There is broad agreement amongst experts that access to variety and genetic diversity in plants is essential in a future of great climatic challenges. Diversity is perhaps the most valuable natural resource we are in possession of.

Climate changes will require new varieties that can handle changes in cultivation conditions. These properties must be developed from the gene material that is currently available. Varieties of important cultivated plants that can cope with drought stress, changes in growing seasons and temperature or the increased pressure from diseases and pests, will be important for food security for a growing population.

Organized work to preserve genetic resources from plants and a safe depository that includes the entire world is a precondition for allowing future generations to create plants that may meet the challenges posed by climate change.
Safe deposit box.

Almost all of the world’s gene banks wish to deposit a copy of their own seed collections at the seed vault on Svalbard. This work has already started. The seed vault will operate much like a safe deposit box. Those who deposit seeds at the vault have full disposal of their own seeds. This is an important principle. They also pay the costs of depositing the seeds and are responsible for renewing the seed stock when the germination capacity of deposited seeds diminishes in the future. In order to ensure that a lack of funds is not a barrier to participation, the Global Crop Diversity Trust has assisted countries which have difficulties in raising the funds.

The depositing of seeds shall comply with national and international regulations, inter alia as a part of the FAO’s International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA). Genetically modified seeds (GMO) are currently not being deposited.

Svalbard Global Seedvault will not be open for visitors due to security reasons.

Safe storage since 1984
In the Nordic region we have 30 years of experience of storing seeds in permafrost. As far back as 1984 the Nordic Genetic Resource Centre brought into use a small safety depository for plant seeds in a disused coal mine on Svalbard.

In addition to seed duplicates of Nordic cultivated plants, a 100 year experiment was initiated. The objective was to determine how the germination capacity of different seed types changed over time when they were stored at a constant temperature of minus 3-4 degrees centigrade. 23 years have passed and the germination capacity is practically unchanged for most species. This safe depository for Nordic seeds attracted much international attention and was perhaps the germ for the Svalbard seed vault.
 
Contribution from Norway
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault is financed by three Norwegian Ministries: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Agricultures and Food. Norway will be the formal owner of the plant and will be responsible for operating it. The Ministry of Agriculture and Food has the administrative responsibility. NordGen has professional responsibility, while the Directorate of Public Construction and Property shall operate the technical installation. The Global Crop Diversity Trust will finance a considerable portion of operational costs, while the remainder will be taken care of by the Norwegian government through the Ministry of Agriculture and Food.

The whole world has been following the project closely. This illustrates how important this is considered to be.  Norway has taken a leading role and contributes to the preservation of international gene resources - a fact that has provided Norway with international recognition.

The Svalbard Global Seed Vault has also become a “brand” that many international organizations and individuals are eager to be associated with. For this reason the opening ceremony on 26 February 2008 will be a major international TV event that will attract not only the international media, but also politicians and celebrities from all over the world.

We are proud of what Norway has achieved on Svalbard in cooperation with the FAO and the Global Crop Diversity Trust. We are certain that this is an initiative that will be greatly appreciated by future generations.