Through the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI), Malaysia has contributed several types of seeds to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault (SGSV) in Norway.
In a Facebook post by MARDI Malaysia, seeds from traditional rice, eggplant, and long bean varieties were selected as duplicates to be stored in SGSV.
The Doomsday Vault
The vault, also dubbed the Doomsday Vault, is built inside a mountain near Longyearbyen, at a depth of more than 120 meters, with a natural temperature of around -18°C to ensure the seeds remain in good condition for the long term.
The name “Doomsday Vault” comes from its function as a seed storage facility designed to withstand major disasters, including wars, climate change, or natural disasters that could threaten the world’s food supply.
“A total of 725 plant accessions have been duplicated there through two shipments made in May and December 2024.
“On February 26, the SGSV doors were opened for the first time in 2025 to deposit seeds from Malaysia and 20 other countries,” MARDI said.
MARDI further stated that this effort is an important step in ensuring the security and availability of genetic food resources in case the country faces disaster risks that may destroy genetic resource storage facilities in the country.
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