Seed Banks – Our Insurance Policy for Food

We put money in banks to keep it safe, so it will be there when we need it. In the same way, seeds are put in special facilities, called seed banks, which keep them safe and extend their viability, so they will be available for many years. Seeds are tiny miracles, each containing a plant embryo, plant food (called endosperm), and a covering to protect the embryo from the elements. Each seed, like each person, has its own genetic makeup. Seeds differ within and between populations of a species. Seed banks strive to preserve as much diversity as possible by housing multiple collections of species and their varieties.