Svalbard Global Seed Vault evokes epic imagery and controversy because of the symbolic value of seeds
Two -thirds of the world’s food comes today from Only nine plantsSugar cane, corn (corn), rice, wheat, potatoes, soybeans, oil, oil beets and cassava. In the past, farmers grew tens of thousands of crop varieties around the world. this Protected biological diversity agriculture One of the losses of crops caused by plant diseases and climate change is.
Today, seed banks around the world are doing a lot of crop varieties that may be basic resources under future growth conditions. the Svalbard Global Seed Vault In Norway, he supports them all. It is the site of the most famous backup in the world for the most precious seeds of data.
Tens of thousands of new seeds From all over the world, the seed cellar on Svles, a Norwegian archipelago in the Northern Ocean, reached in mid -October 2024. This was one of the largest deposits in the history of the 16 -year -old cellar.
On October 31, 2024, crop scientists Carrie Fowler and Jeffrey Hotin, who played major roles in the creation of global seed cellar, received. International food prize worth $ 500,000Which recognizes the work that helped increase the offer, quality or access to food all over the world.
The global seed cellar has been a political controversial since its opening in 2008. It is the most obvious location in the United Nations Agricultural Research Network and financiers like the World Bank.
These organizations are supported Green Revolution A concerted effort to provide high -yielding seeds to developing countries in the mid -twentieth century. This effort was saved millions of people from hunger, but it has turned agriculture in a thick direction. Global seed cellar has become lightning rod for Criticism of this effort and Long -term effects.
I visited Vauult and completed a book on links between scientific research on seeds and ideas on immortality for centuries. My research shows that the global differences of exciting seeds are partially inspired by the religious societies that precede them. But these cultural beliefs also remain necessary to support VAULT and its influence and thus its goal of protecting biological diversity.
Reserves for a global network
Several hundreds of seeds live in thousands of types of agricultural plants inside the global seed cellar. It comes from 80 countries and is placed in special metal bags that keep them dry.
A cellar is designed to lengthen its stillness in zero Fahrenheit (-18 ° C) in three caves covered with ice inside a mountain of sandstone. The air is so cold inside that when I entered the burial, my eyelashes were frozen and my nose.
Global seeds cellars are owned and run by Norway Northern Genetic Resources Center. It was created under The United Nations Treaty More than 1700 seed banks control, as the seeds are stored away from farms, as what the United Nations calls “the final insurance policy for the world’s food supplies.”
This network provides states, NGOs, scientists and farmers from saving and exchanging seeds for research, education and re – The Vault is a backup set for all these seed banks, and stores their duplicate seeds without any fees on them.
The cultural meaning of cellar seeds
The pole site in the Arctic and its amazing appearance contributes to both its general attractiveness and its differences.
Svalbard is often described as a Al -Baida, the frozen of the flesh. For conspiracy theorists, the early visits to the seed billionaires by billionaires such as Bill Gates and George SorosAnd representatives from Google and MonnemoHe pointed out that a cellar had a secret purpose or Benefit from the world elites.
In fact, however, the Svalbard archipelago Daily flights To other Norwegian cities. Global Global Capital, Longyearbyen, includes 2,700 people from 50 countries, drawn by environmental tourism and scientific research-hardly a good hidden location for secret activities.
It is characterized by a cellar entrance The amazing installation of the Norweic artist Dyveke Sanne. This bright iconic artwork of mirrors is glowing, and this iconic artwork illuminates on the North Pole night and withdraws many tourists.
Because of its mission to preserve the seeds through possible disasters, the media regularly describes the cellar of the global seed as “the base of the Day of Resurrection”, or “Modern Noah’s Ark“It was allocated based on its location and appearance Links to the myths of the Bible Like the flood, Aden garden and Apocalypse, Vault has acquired a general meaning unlike any other seed bank.
Seed preservation policy
One of the results is that the cellar is often a shocking penis for critics who look at the preservation of seeds as the last stage in a long history of Europeans Removing natural resources from developing countries. But these criticisms do not really reflect how global seed cellar works.
The burial and the banks of the sister seeds do not reduce the cultivation of the seeds cultivated by farmers in the fields. The two methods complement each other, and the depositors retain their behavior.
Another misleading criticism argues that storing the seeds in Svalbard It prevents these plants from adapting to climate change It can make them useless in a warmer future. But storing seeds in a sleeper actually reflects a survival strategy.
Smile is the behavior of the mysterious plant that “protects from an unpredictable future,” according to Biologist Anthony Trovas. Plants are experts in dealing with the inability to predict climate mainly by hibernation.
The seeds of the seeds allow plants to hedge from their bets on the future; The global seed cellar extends this state for decades or more. While items in this field may become extinct, their bank seeds live to fight on another day.
Store more than seeds
In 2017, a delegation of Quechua farmers from the Peruvian mountains traveled to Svles to deposit the seeds of sacred potato varieties in a cellar. In songs and prayers, they said goodbye to the seeds as “their loved ones” and “endangered children.” “We leave not only genes, but also a family,” one of the farmers Svilbard officials said.
The farmers said that a cellar will protect what they called “their original vital cultural heritage” – which is intertwined with the scientific and cultural value, plants and people, which sparked the holy farmers.
People from all over the world have sought to attach their art to the global title for a similar reason. In 2018, and Culture Cultures Svilbard seeds I started to deposit the artwork that We attach stories to the seeds In a nearby mine.
Pope Francis sent an envoy with a hand -made version of a book Think about the message of the Pope’s hope in the world During the Covid-19 epidemic. Japanese sculptor Metswaki Tanabi A 9 -meter solid rice is created to open a basement and allowed to place a mini version inside.
The seeds that sleep in Svalbard are far from home soil, but each one is immersed in the invisible A network of microbes and fungi That I traveled with. these Microbes still interact With every seed in ways scientists have just started understanding.
I see that global seed cellar is a vital and fragile place, not works with money or technology, but through the strange strength of the seeds. The World Food Award emerges again their vital promise.
This article has been republished from ConversationAn independent, non -profit news organization brings you facts and trusted analysis to help you understand our complex world. Written by: Adriana Krasionand Boston University
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Adriana Craciun does not work with, consult, or receive from any company or institution that will benefit from this article, and has not revealed any related affiliations that exceed its academic appointment.
