Svalbard Global Seed Vault
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault stores backup copies of the world's crop seeds free of charge, more than 100 metres inside an Arctic mountain (Seed Vault).
Image: NASA Earth Observatory image by Joshua Stevens, using Landsat 9 data from the USGS (Nordaustlandet, Svalbard, July 29, 2022).
Last reviewed: 2 sources cited
Deep inside an Arctic mountain, the world keeps a spare copy of its crops.
The Seed Vault holds 1,417,799 seed samples of 6,587 species, sent by about 135 genebanks and institutions (Seed Vault figures).
Source: Svalbard Global Seed Vault
Explain Like I'm 10
- Farmers and scientists keep seeds of thousands of crops in places called genebanks.
- The Seed Vault on Svalbard keeps a spare copy of those seeds deep inside a frozen mountain.
- If a genebank loses its seeds to war or disaster, it can take its copies back and grow them again.
The Five W's of the Seed Vault
Who
Norway, through its Ministry of Agriculture and Food, runs the vault with NordGen and the Crop Trust.
Source: Svalbard Global Seed Vault
What
A long-term backup store for duplicate seed samples from genebanks around the world, free of charge.
Source: Svalbard Global Seed Vault
When
Opened on Feb. 26, 2008. On Oct. 13, 2026, it received 16,676 samples from 21 institutions.
Where
More than 100 metres inside a mountain near Longyearbyen on Svalbard, Norway, in the Arctic.
Source: Svalbard Global Seed Vault
Why
Genebanks can lose seeds to war, disaster or failing equipment. The vault keeps a safe copy for them.
Source: Svalbard Global Seed Vault
Connected Solutions
- Biomass Forest Mission (ESA) Measures the forests that hold much of the planet's plant life.
Impact Statement
Government solution · active
ICARDA became the first depositor to take seeds back out, to rebuild its genebank collection (Seed Vault).
Source: Svalbard Global Seed Vault
For Further Information: Svalbard Global Seed Vault
The October 2026 deposit included 773 samples from Ukraine's national genebank and 8,917 from CGIAR genebanks (Seed Vault).
How This Saves People & the Planet
For People
The vault is part of the global community's joint effort to ensure the world's future food supply (Seed Vault).
Source: Svalbard Global Seed Vault
For Nature
Seeds of 6,587 species are stored there, so the diversity of the world's crops has a safe backup (Seed Vault figures).
Source: Svalbard Global Seed Vault
Support the Seed Vault
The Crop Trust, a partner of the vault, takes donations for crop diversity.
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