Ukraine deposits 773 seed samples in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway

Ukraine has deposited 773 agricultural seed samples from its national collection in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway. This marks the second deposit of Ukrainian genetic material in the Arctic facility and the first since the start of russia’s full-scale invasion. According to Ukraine’s Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food, the initiative aims to protect plant genetic resources from war-related risks and preserve the foundation for the future development of Ukrainian plant breeding.

The deposit includes samples of 10 agricultural crops: triticale, barley, buckwheat, millet, peas, white lupin, common vetch, brown mustard, alfalfa and clover. Ukraine’s national collection of plant genetic resources contains more than 154.3 thsd samples, which are important for developing new varieties, improving yields and increasing crop resilience to adverse conditions. According to the ministry, the total amount of material already transferred for international preservation represents approximately 10% of the national collection.

Preserving Ukraine’s seed collection has become particularly important due to threats to scientific institutions and genetic collections during the war. With support from international partners, 51 thsd seed samples were relocated to western Ukraine under a dedicated project, and a permanent Duplicate Collection Centre was opened in late 2025 to store them. Depositing part of the collection in Svalbard provides an additional layer of protection by preserving backup copies of unique genetic material outside the country.

The project is being implemented through an initiative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), with financial support from the European Union and in cooperation with the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine, Crop Trust and NordGen. Technical support is provided under the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, which Ukraine joined in August 2026. These joint efforts aim not only to physically preserve seeds but also to ensure that genetic resources remain available for future plant breeding research.

Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Taras Vysotskyi emphasized that preserving the national plant gene pool is a matter of food and national security. Genetic diversity enables plant breeders to develop new varieties that are better able to withstand droughts, diseases and other agricultural challenges. Safeguarding Ukrainian seeds in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault is intended to preserve valuable breeding material for the recovery of Ukraine’s agricultural sector and the future development of crop production worldwide.

Tags: Global Seed Vault, Ukraine, seeds, Norway