Malaysia Has Added Rice, Long Bean & Eggplant Seeds To The Arctic's Doomsday Vault
Thanks to the freezing temperatures and permafrost, seeds stored in the bank can last for centuries.
Malaysia just made a big move in securing its food future by sending heritage seeds to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault (SGSV) in Norway
Traditional crop varieties like rice, eggplant, and long beans now have a backup in case disasters mess with our local food sources.
Image via MARDI (Facebook)
The SGSV, aka the 'Doomsday Vault', is the world's most secure seed bank.
Tucked away on a remote Arctic island, Longyearbyen, the vault is designed to withstand anything from climate change to nuclear war.
Thanks to freezing temperatures and layers of permafrost, seeds stored there can last for centuries.
Image via NordGen/The Guardian
The Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI) has been working to preserve genetic food resources for decades
As part of the Biodiversity for Opportunities, Livelihoods, and Development (BOLD) Project, funded by CropTrust, MARDI successfully deposited 725 crop accessions in the SGSV.
These seeds come from MyGeneBank and the National Rice Gene Bank, with collections dating back to 1977, according to MARDI's recent Facebook post.
Image via MARDI (Facebook)
Image via MARDI (Facebook)
Two shipments were sent in May and December 2024, and on 26 February, the vault officially received Malaysia's contribution, along with seeds from 20 other countries.
Image via MARDI (Facebook)
Image via MARDI (Facebook)
Image via MARDI (Facebook)
This is a huge step in making sure Malaysia's essential crops are protected
If anything ever happens to our local seed banks, we now have a safety net to fall back on.
Image via MARDI (Facebook)
Image via NordGen/The Guardian
Beyond just food security, this effort helps preserve biodiversity and ensures that future generations can continue to grow and eat traditional crop varieties
In a world facing climate change and other threats, having a backup plan is more important than ever.
Image via MARDI (Facebook)
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault holds over 1.3 million seed varieties from every corner of the planet
It is like an insurance policy for food, storing key crops like rice, wheat, barley, and maize.
With Malaysia's latest contribution, we're joining a global mission to protect the future of food.
Image via CropTrust
Saving the planet doesn't require grand gestures — small steps make a big difference. Here's what you can do:
Leave a comment