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Svalbard Global Seed Vault receives 14.022 new samples to preserve agricultural biodiversity and strengthen global food security!
A biodiversity Agricultural diversity is significantly boosted by the new seed variety deposit at the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, located in the Arctic.
The “Doomsday Vault” receives 14.022 new samples, strengthening its mission to ensure global food security in the face of climate change and other challenges.
Among the countries that contribute to this preservation are Brazil, Sudan, Malawi and the Philippines.
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Agricultural biodiversity at risk and the importance of the seed vault
Agricultural biodiversity is indeed essential for food security and crop resilience. However, genetic erosion and the impacts of global warming threaten this diversity.
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault, established in 2008 and supported by the Crop Trust, serves as genetic insurance against the extinction of plant species.
Its role is in fact to store seed varieties from around the world to ensure the continuity of sustainable agriculture in the future.
New seed varieties ensure a sustainable future
Among the recently deposited seed varieties are important Sudanese crops such as sorghum.
Known for its drought resistance, sorghum is indeed a key resource for food security in regions affected by conflict and climate change.
According to Ali Babikar, director of the Sudan Agricultural Plant Genetic Resources Conservation and Research Center, the preservation of these seeds represents hope for the local population.
Brazil, which will host the COP30 in Belém, it also has a presence in the vault, sending more than 3.000 varieties of rice, bean and corn seeds.
So this contribution is vital for the maintenance of agricultural biodiversity and for research into sustainable agriculture in the country.
Impact of sustainable agriculture and crop diversity
Malawi also makes an important contribution to the gene bank, with “velvet bean” seeds, used for both food and medicinal purposes.
Nolipher Mponya, an agricultural scientist with the Malawi government, highlights that conserving crop diversity reduces the risk of food crises and strengthens sustainable agriculture.
The Philippines, a country with great genetic diversity and high vulnerability to climate crises, sent seeds of eggplant, cowpea, lima bean and sorghum.
According to Hidelisa De Chavez of the University of the Philippines, protecting seed diversity is essential to maintaining the foundation of global agriculture.
Preserving the future of agriculture
Stefan Schmitz, CEO of CropTrust, reinforces that these seeds represent much more than agricultural biodiversity.
They carry history, culture and traditional knowledge, ensuring that future generations will have access to sustainable and diversified agriculture.
The deposit of new seed varieties in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault truly reaffirms the importance of preserving agricultural biodiversity and strengthening sustainable agriculture.
So with this gene bank, the world is preparing to face climate challenges and ensure food security for future generations.
