A vault set deep into the snowy mountains of Norway is the world’s safety net, yet it can only be visited six times per year.
The Global Seed Vault, nestled in the Svalbard archipelago in Norway, is deemed one of the world’s safest places and the most secure seed bank. The huge underground bunker lies in a frozen wasteland, extending more than 100 metres into a mountain.
The ginormous complex hosts a variety of seeds from around the world, intended as a safety net for global food supply to protect the Earth’s ability to grow crops in the future.
Currently, there are over 1.3 million seed varieties, as of May 2024, housed in the bunker and selected from nearly every country on the planet – the Vault has the capacity to store 4.5 million.
This includes distinct varieties of African and Asian food staples such as maize, rice, and wheat as well as European and South American eggplant, lettuce, barley, and potato varieties.
The seeds are sealed in a custom-made three-ply foil package, sealed inside boxed and stored on shelves.
The entrance of the Vault protrudes from the side of a mountain with a series of metal detectors blocking the supply from the outside world. The secret complex is only open six times a year for new seed deposits to minimise interference.
The project opened in 2008 and is a collaboration between the Norwegian Government, the Crop Trust and the Nordic Genetic Resource Centre. However, countries retain ownership and control over their deposited seeds.
Construction for the Vault did not take long, starting in 2006. Two years later, the facility was ready for use, costing a total of $9million (£7m).
Svalbard was chosen primarily for its subzero temperatures and permafrost making it an ideal location for underground cold storage. A temperature of -18C is required for the preservation to work, alongside minimal humidity.
The remote location also helps the facility be considered the top genebank in the world in terms of security. The seed boxes are stored under ‘black-box’ conditions, which means only the depositors are able to withdraw the seeds.