In an ideal world , theSvalbard Global Seed Bankin Norway seldom has to spread out its doors . The so - called " doomsday vault " bear 1.1 million semen sample from roughly 6000 plant species that assist as insurance policy against born and human - made disasters . AsReutersreports , the glacial fort has been unlocked for thefirst time in 2022 — this clip to make deposit instead of withdrawals .
On Monday , February 14 , Germany , Sudan , Uganda , New Zealand , and Lebanon place samples of significant harvest to the banking concern on the Norse island of Spitsbergen . The Lebanese contribution comes from the International Center for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas , or ICARDA . In 2015 , ICARDA become the first group to withdraw material from the bank to replenishseeds destroyed in the Syrian War . The organization has sincerelocated from Aleppoto Beirut and rebuild its cum stores . Its assembling at home have become robust enough for ICARDA to deposit around 8000 samples in the global seed vault this hebdomad .
The Svalbard Global Seed Bank commence operate in 2008 as a physical backup drive for the world ’s crops . The 11,000 - substantial - foot facility is built into the side of an Arctic mountain , the hope being that its remote location in the frozen tundra will spare it from wars and rising temperature threatening plant elsewhere on the satellite .
But as we ’ve visualize in recent years , the global seed bank is n’t entirely impervious . thaw permafrostflooded the vault in 2017 , and in 2020 , the Svalbard archipelago where it ’s located hit arecord high of 71 ° F . Fortunately , no seed samples were damaged in either event , and the facility has many safeguards in place to protect its cherished subject from catastrophe .
After add more seeds to its catalogue , the seed bank vault will seal its doors again on February 18 . There are plan to open up ittwice more for depositsthis twelvemonth : once from June 6 to June 10 and again from October 24 to October 27 .
[ h / tReuters ]
