Malaysia Has Added Rice, Long Bean & Eggplant Seeds To The Arctic’s Doomsday Vault

Malaysia has taken a major step in securing its food security by sending heritage seeds to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway. Traditional crops such as rice, long beans, and eggplant now have a backup in case natural disasters or environmental changes threaten local food sources.

Also known as the Doomsday Vault, the Svalbard Global Seed Vault is the world’s most secure seed bank, located on a remote Arctic island in Longyearbyen, Norway. Designed to withstand threats like climate change and even nuclear war, the freezing temperatures and permafrost allow seeds stored there to last for centuries.

This effort was led by the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI), which has been working for decades to protect genetic food resources. Under the Biodiversity for Opportunities, Livelihoods, and Development (BOLD) Project, MARDI successfully deposited 725 crop accessions in the Svalbard vault. These seeds originate from MyGeneBank and the National Rice Gene Bank, with collections dating back to 1977.

Malaysia sent two shipments, one in May and another in December 2024, before the final official deposit was received on 26 February 2025, alongside contributions from 20 other countries. This move ensures that Malaysia’s essential crops remain safeguarded, serving as a backup if anything happens to local seed banks.

Beyond food security, this initiative also preserves biodiversity and ensures future generations can still grow and consume traditional crop varieties. In a world facing unpredictable climate change, having a secure backup plan is now more critical than ever.

The Svalbard Global Seed Vault currently stores over 1.3 million seed varieties from around the world, acting as an insurance policy for food security. With this latest contribution, Malaysia strengthens its role in a global mission to protect the future of food.

Source: SAYS