How the Svalbard Global Seed Vault exemplifies the power of global collaboration

The Svalbard Global Seed Vault – a beacon of hope for the future

Seeds are some of the world’s smallest but most essential technologies. While small in size, they carry an immense responsibility: the survival and nourishment of present and future generations. Nowhere is this responsibility more apparent than in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault – a symbol of the power of global collaboration.

Located deep beneath the permafrost, 1,300 kilometres beyond the Arctic Circle, is the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. The world’s largest secure seed storage facility, it houses more than 1.3 million seed samples from around the world, provided by 123 depositors representing countries and institutions across the globe (Crop Trust).

In safeguarding these stocks, the vault functions as a backup of over 1,700 gene banks around the world, preventing the irreversible loss of these crop varieties that would leave us vulnerable to disease, droughts, pests, and more. In other words, the Seed Vault is our ultimate insurance policy for securing a reliable food supply for future generations.

The vault operates on two principles: shared responsibility and mutual benefit. The vault is owned and administered by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food on behalf of the Kingdom of Norway, supported by the Global Crop Diversity Trust, operated by the Nordic Genetic Resources Center, and overseen by an International Advisory Council. As a safeguarding facility, it offers long-term protection of a crucial natural resource while ensuring ownership of the samples remains with their depositors. In times of crisis, if valuable crop varieties have been lost and need to be recreated, depositors are the only ones who can withdraw the seeds they chose to store (Crop Trust).

Anyone who visits the Svalbard Seed Vault, as I recently had the pleasure of doing, will recognise it for what it truly is: a shining example of how cross-border collaboration can produce resilient, future-facing systems that set the next generations up for the biggest chance of success.

The agricultural sector is leading the way

The benefits of this kind of collaboration were demonstrated when Syria became the first nation to withdraw seeds in 2015, following the relocation of their International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas during the civil war (CNN). In taking these proactive steps to preserve genetic diversity and safeguard food crops in the face of threats including conflict and climate change, the agricultural sector has paved the way for global leaders to follow in their wake.

However, it’s no longer enough to simply acknowledge the important role farmers play in ensuring a continued, reliable food supply (as has recently been the case). Moving forward, governments and industry leaders must focus on efforts that support and incentivise farmers – and the sector as a whole – to continue to innovate and secure a sustainable global food system. This starts with directing investments toward smart farming technology and crop resilience and extends to developing farmer-first policies and improving infrastructure and access to resources, particularly in vulnerable communities.

Understandably, leaders may grapple with the question of how to do this. They need only look toward the agricultural sector for examples of cross-border collaborations, such as HarvestPlus, a partnership between CGIAR, governments, and NGOs focused on scaling and fortifying stable crops (HarvestPlus), the Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate, which aims to increase investment in climate-smart agriculture and food systems (WEF), and the First Movers Coalition for Food, a collaboration of players across the food chain, including UPL, aimed at scaling the adoption of sustainable technology and production methods for agricultural commodities (WEF). This work provides a model other sectors can use to tackle global challenges with unity and foresight.

Seeds as a symbol of hope and unity

The seeds housed in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault are more than just symbols of nourishment; they are also symbols of future potential. To extend this potential, industry leaders must continue to champion global initiatives, starting with policies that empower farmers and provide them with the resources necessary to ensure a sustainable food system that will continue to put food on tables around the world.

At UPL, we strive to lead by example. We recognise the importance – and power – of international partnerships, particularly when it comes to South-South collaboration. Through our OpenAg network, we’ve partnered with farming communities across the globe to launch initiatives that drive sustainable farming practices, such as our joint project with Coda International Plc to develop a biostimulant that addresses the challenges of smallholder cocoa farmers in West Africa (UPL) – and we will continue to call on others to do the same.

Farmers alone can’t continue to shoulder the responsibility of securing our food system against threats such as climate change. The agricultural sector has clearly demonstrated the significant progress that can be made through international collaboration. As leaders, it’s up to us to continue this work and inspire broader change, starting with a renewed commitment to ongoing initiatives like the Svalbard Global Seed Vault.

These initiatives are pillars of hope and resilience – and the sustainable future we can secure if we work together to support and empower our farmers.