Preparing Seeds at ILRI for the Svalbard Global Seed Vault

Why It Matters

Preserving Ethiopia’s unique seed heritage in the Svalbard vault ensures a safety net against regional crises, reinforcing global food security and biodiversity.

Key Takeaways

• ILRI prepares safety‑duplicate seed sample for Svalbard vault.
• Duplicate also sent to a second location within Ethiopia.
• Preserving genetic diversity safeguards food security against wars, crises.
• Seed collection represents Ethiopia’s unique crop varieties for future generations.
• Successful preparation highlights international collaboration on global biodiversity conservation.

Summary

The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) in Ethiopia is finalising a safety‑duplicate seed sample destined for the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway, alongside a second copy to be stored domestically.

The duplication effort underscores the institute’s role in safeguarding the country’s rich crop genetic resources, which are vital for food security and can be threatened by conflict, climate shocks, or other disruptions.

In the video, the technician says, “I am extremely happy; this seed is not just for Ethiopia, it is for the world,” highlighting the moral imperative of preserving biodiversity for future generations.

By securing Ethiopian varieties in the international vault, ILRI bolsters global agricultural resilience, supports research, and reinforces collaborative frameworks that protect the planet’s food supply.

Original Description

🌱❄️ Sending seeds to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault is always an emotional moment for genebank staff.

📽️ Solomon Fikre, a technician at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) genebank in #Ethiopia 🇪🇹, describes his happiness at preparing seed packets to be deposited in the Svalbard Vault.

Seeds prepared by Solomon were also sent to the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT Future Seeds genebank in #Colombia 🇨🇴. Genebanks are also a vital part of the safety backup system. It’s worth having more than one level of insurance for these precious resources.

Thanks to staff like Solomon and those working at the Global Seed Vault, these seeds will remain available to both current and future generations.

#biodiversity #foodsecurity #genebank