Context:
Svalbard Global Seed Vault also known as Arctic doomsday seed vault gets more than 14,000 new samples.
Svalbard Global Seed Vault:
- World’s largest secure seed bank
- Located on – Norwegian island of Spitsbergen in the remote Arctic Svalbard archipelago.
- Also known as – Arctic doomsday seed vault
- Aim – To preserve a vast variety of crop seeds in the case of a doomsday event, calamity, climate change or national emergency.
- Owned and administered by – Norwegian Ministry of Agriculture and Food on behalf of the Kingdom of Norway.
- Working – Low temperature(−18°C), permafrost and thick rock ensures that the seed samples will remain frozen even without power.
India’s Seed Bank:
- Established in 2010
- Location – Chang La in Ladakh
- Built jointly by – Defence Institute of High Altitude Research (DIHAR) and the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR)
- Under the aegis of – Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)
Source: Reuters
Previous Year Question
Which one of the following best describes the main objective of Seed Village Concept?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2015 Prelims]
(a) Encouraging the farmers to use their own farm seeds and discouraging them to buy the seeds from others
(b) Involving the farmers for training in quality seed production and thereby to make available quality seeds to others at appropriate time and affordable cost
(c) Earmarking some villages exclusively for the production of certified seeds
(d) Identifying the entrepreneurs in villages and providing them technology and finance to set up seed companies
Answer: (b)