On a frozen Arctic mountain, more than 3.000 kilometers from the olive groves of Andalusia, the future of the olive tree is being secured in sub-zero temperatures. For the first time, Spanish olive seeds will be deposited in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault , the vast global repository designed to safeguard the planet's agricultural diversity against wars, natural disasters, and the effects of climate change.
This addition represents a scientific and agricultural milestone for Spain and Europe , because the olive tree, a symbol of Mediterranean culture and a key element of the agricultural economy , now forms part of the world's largest safe haven of plant genetic resources. The idea is clear: to protect this genetic material in the Norwegian archipelago as a kind of global "backup," with the hope that it will never be needed.
What is the Svalbard Global Seed Vault and why is it so important?
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault , located on the island of Spitsbergen (Norway), just 1.000 kilometers from the North Pole, is considered the world's largest seed bank dedicated to the long-term conservation of food crops. Excavated into a mountain of rock and ice, it functions as a plant vault, storing millions of samples sent by countries around the globe.
The facility, managed by the Nordic Centre for Genetic Resources (NordGen) with support from the Norwegian government, keeps the seeds at around -18°C . Even in the event of a power outage, the Arctic permafrost helps ensure that the cold is maintained, making the vault an extremely stable environment for preserving biological material for decades or centuries.
No planting or research takes place in Svalbard; the vault acts as a backup seed bank . The countries and centers that send their seeds retain ownership, and only the senders can request their withdrawal. This creates a safety net against extreme scenarios, from armed conflicts to natural disasters that could destroy national gene banks.
Currently, over a million seed samples from around the world are registered in this "plant Noah's Ark," many of them from public collections such as those at the INIA-CSIC Plant Genetic Resources Center in Spain. Cereals, legumes, vegetables, and now, for the first time, olive seeds are stored there.
The first entry of the olive tree into the Arctic vault
Until now, most of the deposits in Svalbard consisted of annual herbaceous crops such as wheat, rice, corn, or legumes. The inclusion of the olive tree, a woody tree cultivated for millennia , represents a significant development in the vault's operation.
The International Olive Council (IOC) , together with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Government of Norway, is coordinating this first olive seed vault. An international delegation, including Spanish representatives, will be responsible for transporting the seed material to the underground vaults in Svalbard, where the containers will be sealed.
From an institutional perspective, this step follows a 2024 agreement between the IOC, the FAO, and the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, whereby the World Olive Germplasm Bank of Córdoba was integrated into the framework of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. This recognition has enabled the olive tree, which was not among the crops included as a priority in the treaty, to join multilateral conservation mechanisms.
International officials have described the moment as “historic .” The IOC emphasizes that it is not just a symbolic gesture, but a practical safeguard for the extraordinary diversity of olive varieties developed over thousands of years. The presence of the olive tree in the vault strengthens global preparedness against climate change, the spread of pests and diseases, and future food crises.
Spain's key role: Córdoba and Granada at the forefront
Much of the credit for this project rests with Spanish scientific teams . The material that will travel to the Arctic comes mainly from the World Germplasm Bank of the University of Córdoba (BGMO-UCO) and from collections of wild olive trees gathered by the University of Granada at various locations on the Iberian Peninsula.
The Cordoba seed bank, with approximately 8 hectares of land and a collection of over 900 olive varieties from Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries, is considered one of the most important reserves worldwide. Hundreds of genotypes are maintained there as living trees , allowing researchers to study their agronomic performance and their response to disease or drought under real-world conditions.
From this catalog , seeds of around 50 outstanding varieties have been selected from the more than 700 that make up the Córdoba collection, along with others that are at risk of disappearing in different areas of Andalusia and the Canary Islands. Researchers like Pablo Morello, head of the Córdoba seed bank, explain that the aim has been to represent a broad “genetic pool” of cultivated olive trees , so that, in the event of a catastrophe, the crop could be re-established with quality material.
This core seed is complemented by wild olive seeds collected from various areas of the Iberian Peninsula thanks to the work of the University of Granada. Including both domestic varieties and wild populations allows for a broader range of genetic diversity to be captured , a key aspect if specific traits are needed in the future, such as greater drought tolerance or resistance to emerging pathogens.
In total, the prepared shipments range from 500 to 1.000 seeds , according to various sources, constituting a significant sample of the material conserved in Spain. A portion will remain in the custody of the Plant Genetic Resources Center in Madrid as a backup, while another portion will be stored long-term in Svalbard.
How to prepare seeds before traveling to the Arctic
The journey from an olive in an Andalusian olive grove to a sealed envelope at -18°C in the Arctic is long and meticulous. Olive trees are usually propagated vegetatively, through cuttings , but to preserve them as seed in a bank like Svalbard, specific selection and processing protocols must be applied.
The work begins in the field, with the collection of fruit from open-pollinated trees in the Cordoba collection and from wild olive trees in different areas. In the laboratory, the pit is extracted, the endocarp is removed, and the seed is carefully cleaned, removing any organic matter that could promote fungal growth or accelerate deterioration.
Next comes a crucial phase: controlled drying . The seeds undergo air drying and cold treatments to reduce their moisture content to levels suitable for long-term preservation. Spanish researchers have previously tested the viability of seeds stored at temperatures around -20°C , verifying through trials that they are capable of germinating and producing new plants.
The Plant Genetic Resources Center , part of the INIA-CSIC (National Institute for Agricultural and Food Research and Technology - Spanish National Research Council), has conducted germination tests to confirm that the prepared material maintains good sprouting capacity after drying and freezing treatments. Only seeds that pass these tests are sent, in special airtight envelopes and containers designed to withstand the conditions of transport and storage in the Arctic chamber.
Once in Svalbard, NordGen staff coordinate the reception of the seed packets, which are then placed in underground chambers carved into the rock. Germination tests are scheduled periodically —for example, every ten years—to verify that the material remains viable. If a significant decline in germination capacity is observed, the sample can be replaced with fresh seeds from the seed banks.
A life insurance policy for the Mediterranean olive tree
The olive tree is one of the most representative crops of Spain and the Mediterranean basin . Spain leads the world in olive oil production and has millions of hectares dedicated to this tree, which also shapes landscapes, traditions, and local economies. However, this apparent strength does not make it invulnerable.
In recent years, climate change has been altering rainfall and temperature patterns in major olive-growing regions. Prolonged droughts, more intense heat waves, and extreme weather events are testing the crop's resilience. At the same time, emerging pests and diseases , such as the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa , have demonstrated the vulnerability of agricultural systems when genetic diversity is reduced.
Given this scenario, the inclusion of olive trees in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault acts as a very long-term life insurance policy . It does not replace agricultural policies, sustainable water management, or plant health programs, but it provides an additional layer of protection: if key collections were lost or a regional collapse of the crop occurred, a genetic reserve conserved under controlled conditions would still exist.
The genetic diversity protected in the form of seeds is also the raw material for plant breeding . From these collections, researchers can identify varieties or individuals with desirable characteristics—greater drought tolerance, reduced input requirements, resistance to pathogens —and use them in breeding programs. Conserving this diversity well today is, in practice, keeping adaptation options open for future generations.
In parallel, European projects such as Gen4Olive (Horizon 2020) are working precisely to characterize and utilize the olive tree variability conserved in banks like the one in Córdoba. The backup in Svalbard complements these efforts, providing them with a physical backup on a global scale at a time when pressure on agricultural systems continues to increase.
Taken as a whole, this first deposit of olive seeds in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault symbolizes a form of scientific and agricultural cooperation that looks beyond the immediate needs of the present . Spain and Europe are contributing part of their most valuable genetic heritage to the Arctic vault, not for immediate gain, but so that, should things ever truly go wrong, there is a real possibility of rebuilding a crop that is part of the Mediterranean identity and global food security.
