More than 15,000 seed samples from 11 genebanks were deposited during the Vault’s second opening of 2026, including first-time deposits from Burkina Faso and Niger.
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault opened for the second time this year, receiving 15,387 new seed samples from 11 genebanks. The deposit brings the total number of seed samples stored in the Vault to 1,401,285.
Since the Seed Vault opened in 2008, this marks its 70th deposit occasion.
First-Time Deposits from Burkina Faso and Niger
Burkina Faso and Niger deposited seed samples for the first time, with support from the Benefit Sharing Fund of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.
Located under permafrost inside a mountain on the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen, the Svalbard Global Seed Vault is managed by the Norwegian Government, the Nordic Genetic Resource Center and the Crop Trust.
Largest Shipments Came from South Korea and the UK
The largest shipments in June came from the Rural Development Administration of South Korea and the John Innes Centre in Norwich, England. South Korea’s RDA genebank deposited 6,000 seed samples representing 50 species, including cereals, vegetables and legumes. The John Innes Centre deposited the UK national oat collection, approximately 2,600 accessions, along with about 1,000 accessions from a global barley landrace collection and several hundred wheat varieties, according to a press release.
Support for Genebanks in Burkina Faso, Niger and Sudan
Burkina Faso’s National Commission for Plant Genetic Resources and Niger’s National Agronomic Research Institute of Niger joined the June opening with support from the Plant Treaty’s Benefit Sharing Fund. The Fund supports projects in developing countries that help maintain the movement of seeds and plant material between farmers and genebanks.
Sudan’s Agricultural Plant Genetic Resources Conservation and Research Center also sent seeds with support from the Emergency Reserve for Genebanks, managed by the Crop Trust and the Plant Treaty. The national genebank, which has been rebuilding its collection amid disruptions from Sudan’s civil war, deposited 982 seed samples from 19 crops, including pearl millet, sorghum, legumes and vegetables.
The June deposit included seed samples from genebanks across the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia.
African Genebanks Deposit Regional Crop Diversity
From Africa, Burkina Faso’s CONAGREP genebank delivered samples of okra, maize, groundnut, hibiscus, pearl millet, rice, sesame, sorghum, bambara groundnut and cowpea. Niger’s INRAN delivered 204 seed samples from four species: groundnut, pearl millet, sorghum and cowpea. Morocco shipped samples of 30 species, including chickpeas, lentils and cereals.
Asian Deposits Include Oat and Vegetable Crops
From Asia, South Korea’s RDA deposited samples including oat, a crop not yet widely cultivated in South Korea but considered important because of its nutritional value and potential industrial uses. The Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute deposited 320 seed samples of cucumber, soybean, tomato, aubergine and winged bean.
European Genebanks Add Cereals, Vegetables and Heritage Barley
From Europe, Poland’s National Centre for Plant Genetic Resources shipped 1,000 samples from 15 species, including rye, oats, buckwheat, common millet, faba bean, maize, tomato, cucumber, melon and sorghum. The Netherlands Centre for Genetic Resources deposited 660 seed samples from 43 species, including peppers, beans, vegetables, legumes and cereals. The John Innes Centre’s deposit included Chevallier Heritage Barley, a former UK commercial variety last widely grown in the 1930s.
Americas Deposits Include Vegetables, Legumes and Regional Crops
From the Americas, the US Seed Savers Exchange deposited 18 species of vegetables, legumes and cereals. Brazil’s Embrapa national genebank added samples of cashew tree, groundnut, castor bean, lima bean and sesame. In Brazil, lima bean is a regional crop that supports food and nutrition security, culinary traditions, agricultural diversification and family farming.
Vault Continues as Backup for Global Crop Diversity
The second deposit of 2026 adds to the Seed Vault’s role as a backup facility for crop diversity held in genebanks worldwide.
