Nature Africa: Baobab and Acacia Trees Among Latest African Deposit in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault

The Crop Trust is a non-profit international organization dedicated to conserving crop diversity and making it available for use globally, forever, for the benefit of everyone.

We work with donors and partners to lead global projects that protect crop diversity, conserve crop wild relatives and develop technology to make this diversity accessible worldwide.

We seek professionals with a passion for global food security and a strong drive to contribute to our mission of conserving crop diversity for future generations.

Patrick Kasasa of the Zimbabwe-based Community Technology Development Trust stands in front of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault after an emotional seed deposit ceremony. Photo: Mike Major/Crop Trust

By Gilbert Nakweya

19 March 2025

Thousands of seeds from native African tree species and indigenous varieties of crops have been deposited in the cold, dry rock vaults of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in the permafrost of northern Norway.

Established by the Norwegian government and opened in 2008, the vault provides backup storage for countries’ own seed banks. Its purpose is to safeguard biodiversity, build climate resilience and preserve crop diversity. It receives deposits three times a year. [One] latest African deposit was made at the end of February through the World Agroforestry Center (CIFOR-ICRAF), based in Nairobi. A total of 120,000 seeds from 13 African tree species, including the baobab, Adansonia digitata and white acacia, Faidherbia albida, were deposited in the icy chambers.

Read the full article

Categories: For The Press, BOLD, Food Security