By Kees Brouwer
Hidden deep inside a massive mountain in inhospitable Spitsbergen is the most important vault in the world: the Global Seed Vault. It is 20 degrees below zero and the vault is able to withstand earthquakes, floods, missile attacks and nuclear disaster. It's Noah's Ark for our food production with the largest diversity in seeds from all over the world, a backup of as many crops as possible and the toolbox for seed breeders. This is vital, for by 2050 there will be 9 billion mouths to feed. But the success of the vault also shows its downside. The increasing strategic importance of seed has given rise to the fundamental discussion on the question: who do the seeds belong to?
Not all countries are willing to donate their seed collections to the vault these days. Emerging economies regard their own seeds as a green gold mine for which others will have to pay. And large seed companies patent their latest seeds. If seeds can no longer be freely used, the diversity will decline which makes it vital that all seeds are freely available.
The 'Doomsday Vault', as it is called today, and its worldwide mission, is the life's work of the inspired American professor Cary Fowler. In February 2013, on the occasion of the vault's five-year anniversary, he met with an international management committee in Spitsbergen to discuss the current deadlock. SEED BATTLES gains an insight into the worldwide political and strategic game that is being played. The stakes: our daily bread.
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