Inside the Svalbard Seed Vault

Summary

This video explores the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, located near the North Pole, which safeguards nearly a million seed varieties from around the world. Built to endure extreme conditions, the vault is designed to preserve seeds for future generations, even in the face of disasters. The video details its purpose as a global backup for agricultural diversity and highlights its recent use by Syria after conflict damaged their local gene bank. The narrator also discusses the importance of having resilient crops for a changing climate, making the vault a vital insurance policy for humanity's food security.

Takeaways

• ❄️ The Svalbard Global Seed Vault is often called the world's most important freezer due to its role in preserving seeds.
• 🏔️ Located 1300 km from the North Pole, the vault is built deep within a mountain, utilizing natural permafrost to maintain cold temperatures.
• 🚪 There are five doors to reach the main vault, which is designed to last 200 years and withstand natural disasters like earthquakes and explosions.
• 🌍 The facility was strategically placed above sea level to remain secure even if global ice melts.
• 🔒 The vault works like a bank vault—sealed boxes of seeds can only be opened by the depositors.
• 🌱 The vault stores nearly a million varieties of seeds from around the world at -18°C, ensuring food crop diversity is preserved.
• 🧬 No genetically modified or illicit crops, such as marijuana, are allowed in the vault, per Norway's regulations.
• 🇰🇵 Notable contributions include unique handmade seed boxes from North Korea, stored alongside seeds from the USA and South Korea.
• 🌾 The vault's purpose is to safeguard agricultural diversity for future generations, particularly in the face of climate change.
• 🌍 The Svalbard Seed Vault is one of 1700 seed banks globally, with its significance emphasized by events like the Syrian war, when seeds were withdrawn after the Aleppo gene bank was destroyed.

Q & A

What is the significance of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault?

The Svalbard Global Seed Vault is a crucial facility that acts as a long-term backup storage for the world's agricultural biodiversity. It ensures that a wide variety of seeds are preserved, even in the case of global catastrophes, making it sometimes referred to as the 'Doomsday Vault.'

Why was the Svalbard Seed Vault built inside a mountain?

The vault was built inside a mountain to leverage the natural permafrost, which keeps the seeds at a consistent temperature of around -4 to -5°C, even if the power were to fail. The location also ensures that the vault remains above sea level, even if all the ice on Earth were to melt.

How many vault rooms are there, and how many are currently in use?

There are three vault rooms inside the facility, but only one is currently in use for storing seeds. The vaults are buried over 120 meters from the front door to take full advantage of the permafrost.

What type of seeds are prohibited from being stored in the Svalbard Seed Vault?

The Svalbard Seed Vault prohibits the storage of genetically modified seeds and seeds for crops that are considered illicit, such as marijuana. Norway has specifically requested that no genetically modified material be kept there.

How does the vault ensure the integrity of the seeds deposited by various countries?

The seeds are stored in sealed boxes, and only the depositor can open them. While the vault cannot physically inspect the contents, they rely on contracts signed by the depositing countries or organizations.

Why do some people refer to the Svalbard Seed Vault as the 'Doomsday Vault'?

It is called the 'Doomsday Vault' because it is designed to protect the diversity of the world’s food crops in case of global catastrophes like wars, natural disasters, or climate change. Even in worst-case scenarios, it can preserve seeds for future use.

What unique items were highlighted as part of the seed vault's collection?

The script highlights some unique aspects of the seed vault’s collection, including wooden, hand-made boxes from North Korea that were built to exact specifications. The vault also stores seeds from countries like the USA and South Korea, placing them side by side.

Has anyone ever made a withdrawal from the vault, and why?

Yes, Syrians were the first to make a withdrawal from the vault. This occurred because the gene bank in Aleppo was bombed, making it non-operational. Seeds were taken to Morocco and Lebanon to restore the collection.

How does the Svalbard Seed Vault compare to other seed banks around the world?

The Svalbard Seed Vault is one of around 1,700 seed banks worldwide. It serves as a backup to these other gene banks, ensuring that even if local seed banks are damaged, their seeds are preserved in Svalbard.

What role could the Svalbard Seed Vault play in the future, especially with climate change?

With climate change, certain crops may become unsuitable for growing in specific regions due to changes in temperature, water availability, and other factors. The Svalbard Seed Vault ensures that seeds for diverse plant species are preserved, potentially offering solutions for future agricultural challenges.