Uzbekistan deposits seeds in the “Doomsday Vault”

Samples of Uzbekistan’s ancient and indigenous crop seeds have been placed in the world’s largest and most secure seed storage facility — the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, also known as the “Doomsday Vault,” located in Norway. The Ministry of Agriculture reported the news.

According to the ministry, this initiative was carried out through close international cooperation between the Ministry of Agriculture, the Research Institute of Plant Genetic Resources, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the Nordic Genetic Resource Center.

The process marks an important step in Uzbekistan’s efforts to preserve the genetic diversity of its agricultural crops, strengthen the national gene pool, and contribute to global food security.

“The seeds deposited in Svalbard represent the invaluable heritage of Uzbek farming culture — genetic samples of ancient varieties and local ecotypes. The collection includes more than 20 local varieties of melon, watermelon, tomato, pepper, eggplant, carrot, onion, and wheat. Of particular importance is the local wheat variety *Qayroqtoš*,” the statement said.

Representatives of the Research Institute of Plant Genetic Resources emphasized that this initiative demonstrates Uzbekistan’s firm commitment to preserving plant biodiversity, contributing to global food security, and safeguarding genetic resources for future generations.

For reference, the Svalbard Global Seed Vault is located deep within the Arctic permafrost and operates continuously at a temperature of –18°C. Currently, it houses more than 1.1 million seed samples. The facility ensures the long-term preservation of backup copies of seeds stored in gene banks around the world.

Such a system reduces the risk of plant species loss caused by natural disasters, wars, financial crises, or technical failures and guarantees a stable food supply for the entire world.