Archive · 22 Dec 2025
Global Seed Vault Safeguards Crops from Disasters
Imagine a big freezer inside a mountain where people from all over the world store seeds of important crops.
This place is called the Global Seed Vault and it's in a very cold and remote area in Norway.
The seeds are kept safe so that if something bad happens, like a big flood or a war, we can use them to grow food again.
The vault is like a time capsule that can last for a very long time.
It's not just for seeds; it also keeps important documents and records.
The seeds belong to the countries that send them, and only they can take them back if needed.
Right now, there are over 642 million seeds from 223 countries, with India contributing the most.
The vault is owned by Norway and managed by a group from Nordic countries with help from around the world.
The Global Seed Vault is located on Spitsbergen in Norway’s Svalbard region, storing over 1.2 million seeds from almost every country.
The vault is carved 120 meters into solid rock and maintained at -18°C for optimal seed preservation.
It serves as a backup to safeguard crop diversity against disasters, wars, and other calamities.
The vault also houses the Arctic World Archive, storing important national records and documents.
India has contributed the most seeds, with 95 million seeds stored in the vault.
- Who
- The Norwegian government owns the vault, managed by a Nordic organisation with international support.
- What
- A seed vault storing over 1.2 million seeds from almost every country to safeguard against disasters.
- When
- The vault has been operational and has seen seed withdrawals during times of crop loss due to war.
- Where
- Located on the island of Spitsbergen in Norway’s Svalbard region, near the Arctic Circle.
- Why
- To preserve crop diversity and provide a backup in case of disasters, wars, or other calamities.
- Location
- Spitsbergen, Svalbard, Norway
- Depth
- 120 meters into solid rock
- Storage Temperature
- -18°C
- Current Seed Count
- 642 million seeds
- Maximum Capacity
- 2.5 billion seeds
- Ownership
- Norwegian government
- Management
- Nordic organisation with international trust support
- Notable Seed Contributor
- India (95 million seeds)