COPENHAGEN, Denmark: A remote Arctic facility designed to preserve the world's agricultural diversity is set to receive a major new addition of more than 14,000 seed samples from around the globe that will be deposited in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault this week.

This will further strengthen its role as the world's ultimate backup for food security.

Located deep within a mountain on Norway's Svalbard archipelago, the vault safeguards against disasters such as war, climate change, and natural catastrophes. Since its establishment in 2008, it has stored genetic material from thousands of plant species, acting as an insurance policy for global agriculture.

Among the new contributions are 15 species from Sudan, including various sorghum varieties, a crucial staple crop for the country's food security and cultural heritage. The war in Sudan, which erupted in April 2023, has devastated the country, displacing millions and pushing many areas into famine.

"In Sudan... these seeds represent hope," said the director of Sudan's Agricultural Plant Genetic Resources Conservation and Research Centre.

The vault has played a critical role in restoring seed collections lost due to conflict. Between 2015 and 2019, it helped rebuild stocks damaged during the Syrian war, ensuring that key crop species were not permanently lost.

Stefan Schmitz, Executive Director of the Crop Trust, emphasized the broader significance of the deposit.

"The seeds deposited this week represent not just biodiversity, but also the knowledge, culture, and resilience of the communities that steward them," Schmitz said.

This latest deposit will also include seeds of Nordic tree species from Sweden and rice varieties from Thailand. At 14:30 GMT, 14,022 new samples will be placed in the vault, further expanding what is already the largest collection of agricultural biodiversity on Earth.