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Thai Gene Banks Visited NordGen

Date: 2018.08.10

This week representatives from two different Thai gene banks visited Sweden and NordGen to sign a new depositor agreement. The signatures are yet another important step towards securing that plants genetic resources important for our future food security are safely backed up in Svalbard Global Seed Vault.

The delegations from Thailand included representatives from both the National Rice Seed Storage Laboratory for Genetic Resources (NRSSL) and the Department of Agriculture (DOA). As they visited NordGen in Alnarp they brought seeds that will be deposited in the Seed Vault on the 21th of August.

“We really appreciate being able to contribute to the world’s future food security” said Siriporn Boonchoo, Deputy Director-General of Thailand’s Department of Agriculture, who was the gene bank signing a new depositor agreement at this time.

Gene bank flooded

NRSSL decided to deposit seeds in Svalbard Global Seed Vault already in 2011. This was a year of heavy flooding in Thailand and the facilities of NRSSL was no exception.

“For several weeks we had water inside the gene bank. Only the water pumps saved the seeds from being destroyed. Outside people used boats where we usually drive cars” said Kasem Soontrajarn, Senior Rice Scientist at NRSSL.

The gene bank made their first deposit in 2013. This illustrates the crucial importance of Svalbard Global Seed Vault. As a secure facility for the long-term storage of plant genetic resources important for food and agriculture, the Seed Vault offers a facility for keeping a safety back-up of the seeds stored in gene banks, should the worst happen.

“And things do happen. We have seen a gene bank in Indonesia flooded and the gene bank in Aleppo abandoned due to the conflict in Syria. In Scandinavia we had lots of rain last year and the worst drought ever this year. The genetic resources in gene banks needs to be kept safe as they are the key to our future food supply” said Lise Lykke Steffensen, CEO of NordGen who signed the depositor agreement on behalf of the Norwegian Government.

Great trust of the Seed Vault

“We in Thailand have a great trust in the facility of Svalbard Global Seed Vault. It’s situated in a very isolated and safe place ideal for keeping seeds for future generations” Siriporn Boonchoo said.

Today, 76 institutes have decided to deposit seeds in the Seed Vault. But NordGen, along with its partners The Norwegian Ministry of Agriculture
and Food and the organization Crop Trust, urge more gene banks to make use of this service, which is free of charge.

“Although we already have many depositors who have chosen to deposit seeds in the Seed Vault, we still have room for many more. We need to extend the safety net for our genetic resoures, to be able to develop healthy and robust crops in the future as well. It’s a matter of our future food security” said Lise Lykke Steffensen.