There have been several instances in recent years, which have made us realise that there is now a shortage of food. There are several reasons for this happening. The first reason is the change in climate conditions. The climate conditions play a very vital role in determining the growth of various crops worldwide. Due to the adverse climatic conditions, seeds do not get the right atmosphere or conditions to grow. The second reason is the excess growth of the population consuming the food crops.
The USA has several seed banks that have helped several countries worldwide during famine and war conditions. California is a state which is famous for its numerous seed banks. The highest number of USA seed banks can be seen here.
To combat such issues, seed banks have been specially created. Seed banks store seeds in the bank wherein they are later used when there is an acute shortage of that specified seed. This way, we can conserve crops and save lives at the same time.
Below are the top benefits of Seed banking.
Preservation of the diversity of crops
One of the essential benefits of seed banks is it allows for the preservation of crop diversity. Crops of the same species are dependent on various kinds of survival methods. Seed banks help plants to survive irrespective of their survival conditions.
Protection from Climatic Change Conditions
In recent years climate change has caused significant harm to crops. One of the significant reasons for climate change is the pollution caused by industries, factories and vehicles. Crops of various species find it very difficult to survive in changing weather conditions. To combat such issues, seed banks were built. To ensure there is no extinction of crops due to pollution, many seed banks have been established worldwide.
Protection from Natural Disaster Situations
Natural disasters have taken place worldwide, and many here are aware of such consequences. Very few people are aware that natural disasters can eradicate crops from the earth’s surface. Natural disasters are adverse situations, and to combat such foreseen events, seed banks have been established. During the tsunami in the year 2004, Malaysia had seen adverse situations which lead to the total eradication of rice paddies. Through seed banks from worldwide regions, Malaysia was able to restore their rice paddies, which are now thriving once again.
Diseases:
Crops are positively affected by generally contagious diseases. When diseases take place in plants, it spreads like wildfire affecting every crop nearby. Seed banks help to avoid such issues. There are many instances where, due to disease breakout in plants, farmers were clueless about how to start afresh. During these situations, seed banks help farmers by offering the same crops to continue their farming.
Seed Materials Research
Seed banks store various kinds of seeds that are later used for the best purposes. Apart from helping farmers, seed banks also offer seed materials to researchers and scientists for research purposes. With significant research and study, scientists can find ways to improve such seeds’ production to a great extent. In recent years, scientists have invented huge improvements and innovations that have helped improve the quality of seeds to a large extent. These seeds are now being utilized far and wide to help farmers worldwide.
Human-made Disasters
Even humans can cause adverse effects on crops due to wars and oil spills. Countries at war end up losing vast amounts of crops as the farmers can no longer grow them. In such a scenario, gradually, the crops disappear due to farmers not being able to go to their fields. In these challenging times, seed banks offer farmers the right crop seeds to continue farming and support their families, neighborhoods and countries.