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Norway Builds Doomsday Vault for World Seeds

Site beneath Arctic mountain will preserve all essential crops

By John Johnson,  Newser Staff

Posted Sep 22, 2007 12:28 PM CDT
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(Newser) – Norway has built a giant vault under an Arctic mountain, where it will preserve seeds from 21 of the world's essential crops in case disaster strikes. The so-called doomsday vault will eventually store 4.5 million seeds from crops such as wheat and rice to use in the wake of a global catastrophe, be it a typhoon or nuclear strike, Reuters reports.

The vault is in the remote town of Longyearbyen, about 600 miles from the North Pole. Norway will own and maintain it, but all nations can contribute and have access to the seeds. "This is like a safety deposit box, like in a bank, where you put your valuables," said a  member of the group organizing the seed collection.

Price increase of farm produce due to flood damage
Price increase of farm produce due to flood damage   (Getty Images)
A worker at England Dryer Service watches as a truck load of rice from nearby fields is unloaded at the facility in England, Ark., Friday, Sept. 14, 2007. (AP Photo/Danny Johnston)
A worker at England Dryer Service watches as a truck load of rice from nearby fields is unloaded at the facility in England, Ark., Friday, Sept. 14, 2007. (AP Photo/Danny Johnston)   (Associated Press)
Central Illinois farmer Mark Reichert shows off his winter wheat in a field near Auburn, Ill., in this May 23, 2007 file photo. The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2007 said strong worldwide demand for wheat stands to drain U.S. stockpiles to the lowest level...
Central Illinois farmer Mark Reichert shows off his winter wheat in a field near Auburn, Ill., in this May 23, 2007 file photo. The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2007 said strong...   (Associated Press)
A field full of wheat is seen Wednesday, June 13, 2007 in London, Ohio. The Labor Department reported Thursday,June 14, 2007 that wholesale prices rose by 0.9 percent last month, worse than the 0.6 percent advance that analysts were expecting. The price surge was led by a...
A field full of wheat is seen Wednesday, June 13, 2007 in London, Ohio. The Labor Department reported Thursday,June 14, 2007 that wholesale prices rose by 0.9 percent last month, worse than the 0.6 percent...   (Associated Press)
A field full of wheat is seen Wednesday, June 13, 2007 in London, Ohio. Grain and soybean futures increased in early activity Thursday, June 14, 2007 on the Chicago Board of Trade. Wheat for July delivery rose 7 1/2 cents to $5.97 a bushel. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato)
A field full of wheat is seen Wednesday, June 13, 2007 in London, Ohio. Grain and soybean futures increased in early activity Thursday, June 14, 2007 on the Chicago Board of Trade. Wheat for July delivery...   (Associated Press)
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Global warming hurts grain crops
Reuters

Study cites urgent need to store seeds
Food Navigator

Web site of group running the seed vault
Global Crop Diversity Trust

World crops getting a safe home
Washington Post

 
Norway • crops • World hunger • seed vault • seeds

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