Ukraine safeguards seeds at Svalbard Global Seed Vault for the first time since the outbreak of the war

Several representatives from the media were on site to document a steady stream of boxes being carried from a truck into the in the brutalist, gray building. This week, the gates of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault were opened for the last time this year. The boxes contained seed samples sent from countries in Asia, South America, Europe and Africa. In total, 21 genebanks took part in this deposit, safeguarding more than 16,000 seed samples in the Seed Vault.  

 Among the guests at the deposit ceremony on 13 October was a delegation from Ukraine, including representatives from the country's genebank and FAO office, as well as Ukraine’s Ambassador in Norway. 

“Ukraine's plant genetic resources are part of our national heritage and a strategic asset for the future of our agriculture. Despite the ongoing war, we are taking concrete steps to preserve this diversity, which is essential for developing new crop varieties, adapting to climate change and ensuring sustainable agricultural production. Today's deposit in Svalbard is an investment in the resilience of Ukraine's agricultural sector and a contribution to global food security for future generations,” said H.E. Ambassador Oleksiy Gavrysh of Ukraine to the Kingdom of Norway.

During the October deposit, Ukraine secured 773 seed samples, including different accessions of sunflower, cereals, buckwheat and forage crops. This is the first shipment sent from the country to the Seed Vault since 2012. Also present in Svalbard was Karen Ellemann, Secretary General of the Nordic Council of Ministers. 

“In a time marked by conflict and uncertainty, we need more examples of countries choosing cooperation over division. The safeguarding of Ukraine’s seed collections in Svalbard demonstrates the value of long-term international partnerships in protecting biodiversity and future food supplies. Together we are stronger, both in the Nordic region and across the world,” said Karen Ellemann. 

 In addition to Ukraine, 20 other genebanks from four continents sent a combined total of more than 16,000 seed samples to the Seed Vault.  

Norway’s Minister of Agriculture and Food, Nils Kristen Sandtrøen, was also present in Svalbard. 

“When Norway established the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, the vision was to create a secure safeguard for the world's crop diversity and a shared resource for humanity. Today’s deposit demonstrates that this vision is more relevant than ever. Countries and institutions continue to come together to protect the genetic resources that future generations will depend on for food security and resilience. We are proud to partner with the Crop Trust and NordGen in this unique global effort,” said Nils Kristen Sandtrøen, Norway’s Minister of Agriculture and Food.  

Ukraine is a major agricultural nation and is often referred to as the “breadbasket of Europe”. The country also maintains a highly significant and extensive genebank collection which, according to FAO, contains more than 150,000 seed samples. Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the national genebank in Kharkiv faced a critical situation as bombing damaged buildings and infrastructure. In cooperation with FAO and the Crop Trust, and with financial support from the Novo Nordisk Foundation, NordGen took part in an emergency effort during the spring of that year to support the Ukrainian genebank. At a later stage, the collection was also relocated to a site in western Ukraine, far from the front line.  

”We are pleased to see such a strong participation in this seed deposit and we are well aware of the difficult situation facing the Ukrainian genebank. Their contribution under these circumstances is an extraordinary achievement. It is a powerful reminder of why the Svalbard Global Seed Vault exists: to protect the world’s irreplaceable genebank collections against all threats and safeguard them for future generations,” said NordGen’s Executive Director, Lene Krøl Andersen. 

The Svalbard Global Seed Vault functions as a safety deposit box where the world’s genebanks can store backup copies of their unique seed collections free of charge. These collections are vital for safeguarding future global food security. Today, the Seed Vault holds more than 1.4 million seed samples belonging to over 130 genebanks. This makes the Svalbard Global Seed Vault the world’s largest secure repository for the diversity of cultivated crops. 

FACTS: Svalbard Global Seed Vault

The facility is owned by Norway and operated through a partnership between the Norwegian Ministry of Agriculture and Food, the international organisation Crop Trust, and NordGen.

No transfer of legal ownership takes place when seeds are deposited. The seed samples remain the property of the depositors, who may also request their return if needed.