"The plans for the seed vault in the permafrost on Svalbard have drawn international attention, both among scientists and the media. We are all interested in conserving biological diversity in agriculture, particularly crops that are of importance to the food supply. I think many countries will use the vault to improve their preparedness against plant diseases and other threats, " said Norwegian Minister of Agriculture and Food Terje Riis-Johansen.
Modern agriculture and food production require uniform crop plants and the same varieties are planted over increasingly larger spaces. Much of the diversity can therefore no longer be found in the fields. A seed vault can help preserve the diversity that is lost in the wild.
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault will lie inside the mountain close to Longyearbyen and will house up to three million different types of seeds. The planning started in the autumn of 2005 and will continue throughout 2006. In early 2007, the Norwegian Directorate of Public Construction and Property will commence construction and the preparations for the start-up of operations, with a goal of opening the facility in September 2007.
Treaty for exchange of seeds
The idea for a seed vault dates back to as early as the 1980s, but only in 2001 did the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) adopt the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. With this agreement in place, the thought of a seed bank on Svalbard resurfaced.
The FAO Commission for Genetic Resources and other international actors have expressed great support for the Norwegian initiative. The physical storage facility will remain in Norwegian hands, but the seeds will not be Norwegian property. They will be returned in case the original samples of the seed are lost. There are plans to establish an international council that will represent user interests and follow operations.