Portugal ships 334 more crop seed samples to Arctic vault

Portugal is sending a fifth consignment of seeds to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway, adding 334 samples of common bean, cowpea and maize. The total of Portuguese samples held there rises to 1,861. Earlier deliveries came in 2018, 2020, 2023 and 2025, covering crops such as barley, rye and wheat. The government says the move reinforces its commitment to conserving genetic resources for food and agriculture. National collections are safeguarded by INIAV and the Portuguese plant germplasm bank, and the vault keeps backup copies in case of disasters, armed conflict or technical failures. Secretary of State João Moura is expected at the deposit ceremony on 13 October.