Safeguarding a global seed heritage from Syria to Svalbard

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Conservation Biology
• Climate Change Adaptation

Background:

• Crop diversity is essential for global food security and adapting to climate change.
• International genebanks play a crucial role in conserving and distributing plant genetic resources.
• The International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) genebank in Syria faced significant risks due to regional conflict.

Purpose of the Study:

• To document the rescue and reconstitution of the ICARDA genebank collection.
• To highlight the importance of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in safeguarding vital seed collections.
• To illustrate the resilience of the global crop diversity conservation system.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing safety duplicates deposited in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault.
• Rebuilding the genebank collection at new premises in Morocco and Lebanon.
• Resuming international distribution of seeds to researchers, breeders, and farmers.

Main Results:

• Over 80% of the ICARDA collection was successfully safety duplicated before the genebank evacuation.
• ICARDA has reconstituted its collection and resumed seed distribution since 2015.
• The study demonstrates the effectiveness of a strengthened multilateral system for gene conservation.

Conclusions:

• The successful rescue of the ICARDA collection underscores the importance of international collaboration and robust conservation strategies.
• A layered system of governance, science, and financial support is vital for maintaining crop diversity.
• This resilience in genebanking contributes to building sustainable and equitable agri-food systems worldwide.