The Svalbard Seed Vault: Humanity’s Ultimate Safeguard
In the high arctic tundra of Norway’s Svalbard archipelago, a steel facility holds the food insurance policy for all of humanity: 1,214,827 seed samples from almost every country in the world. Although it sounds like something out of an 80’s science fiction movie, this operation is no fiction. The Svalbard Global Seed Vault is made possible through international cooperation to ensure the world is prepared for catastrophe. As of the facility’s 15th anniversary in February of 2023, it holds over 13,000 years of agricultural history.
The concept of gene banks with plant material is not new. The Nordic Gene Bank, an international forum consisting of the five Nordic countries, started preserving seeds in an empty coal mine as early as 1984. After signing an international plant preservation treaty in 2001, the Nordic governments realized the need for a new facility to store even more seed samples securely and began to develop the Svalbard facility in 2004 with hopes that it would serve as food security for the international community in the event of war, agricultural mismanagement, or environmental disaster.
The vault’s location at the North Pole holds high importance for the functionality of the locker. Seeds of every genetic variety on Earth are packed into vacuum-sealed capsules and stored at a temperature of -64.4°F to adequately preserve the frozen genetic material. Thick layers of permafrost and rock ensure the seeds stay frozen even if power is lost. Although the public is not allowed inside, the area has become a popular tourist attraction for those traveling to the desolate isle.
The vault has already demonstrated its effectiveness in the face of adversarial conditions. Syria’s civil war in 2011 brought devastating conflict that has not only displaced millions but also destroyed the country’s crops and agricultural systems. The ongoing conflict threatens not only the population of Syria but also the world as a whole, as losses in biodiversity have the potential to wreak havoc on a global scale. In response to a widespread loss of plant species, Norway’s government extracted seeds from the vault in 2015 to address the deficits in agrobiodiversity and replenish Syria’s supply of crops. The move was praised as crucial humanitarian aid for Syria and as a practical solution to ensure the stability of humanity as a whole.
Seeds are extracted to provide humanitarian aid to Syria.
Photo Credit: Regjeringen
Many imagine that a doomsday event would be unmistakable; meteor impacts, global pandemics, or nuclear Armageddon. In many ways, however, the vault remains necessary for events transpiring in the present day. Countries around the world have adopted dangerous monoculture farming styles in which one type of high-yielding crop is planted and harvested repeatedly to maximize output and feed an ever-increasing population. This strategy endangers the world’s diverse repertoire of seed diversity as seed types that are no longer used become extinct. Since the 1900s, over 75 percent of genetic plant diversity has been lost and the majority of the world’s current food supply now comes from only 12 varieties of animals and plants. The Svalbard Seed Vault can address these challenges and serve as a reminder for humanity to avoid common farming pitfalls.
The scientific community has also established that many animal species go extinct each year as a result of human activity, industrial development, or climate change. In response, scientists around the world have adopted the technology and strategies used in Svalbard and applied them to similar preservation ventures. Established in 1975, scientists at the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research have collected over 10,000 frozen cell clusters of living animals from more than 1,000 species in the largest vault of its kind in the world. Proponents of the center’s work hope that science will soon be able to bring these animals back if they go extinct.
Unlike the seeds stored in the Svalbard vault, animal cells require additional pristine conditions and precautions to ensure their survival. Scientists at the zoo extract the cells from animal tissue, create living fibroblast cells, and then place them in vials stored in liquid nitrogen freezers that are -320 degrees Fahrenheit. As technology becomes more advanced, the world can expect to see other efforts to preserve plant and animal species.
Efforts like the Svalbard Seed Vault and the San Diego Zoo’s animal conservation center serve as prime examples of the necessity for science in the modern world. In a time when people around the world are becoming more skeptical of science, along with the work and motives of scientists, it has never been more important to safeguard the legitimacy of the scientific community. The work done by these researchers also serves as an example of what can be achieved through broad international cooperation.
Humanity has the potential to liberate itself from its anticipated grim future. Staving off climate change and establishing positive diplomatic relations between countries will certainly help. Yet, a seemingly unconventional frozen vault just may be the food insurance policy the world needs.
Photo Credit: Frode Bjorshol